


Worthy

by bgn846



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alpha Gladiolus Amicitia, Alpha Ignis Scientia, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Beta Noctis Lucis Caelum, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Omega Prompto Argentum, Promnis Big Bang 2019, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2021-01-23 23:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 48,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21328432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/pseuds/bgn846
Summary: Being the thirteenth in line for the throne of Niflheim was bad enough. However, add the complication of being a rare omegan male to the mix and things were downright terrible.  Prompto had a small dream to sit on the throne one day if only to prove his worth.  He knew he couldn’t do it alone so he decides his best option is to hire a brilliant advisor to guide him to the top.The issue being the advisor he really wants is already employed by the prince of Lucis, Noctis Lucis Caelum.   He also has to get over his innate fear of alphas since as it turns out the advisor is a rather intimidating one.Will Prompto ever get the chance to rise in his position or will he be stuck at the bottom forever?Written for the 2019 Promnis Big Bang
Relationships: Aranea Highwind/Nyx Ulric, Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 48
Kudos: 97
Collections: 2019 Promnis Big Bang





	1. Bright Idea

**Author's Note:**

> This was a crazy project to work on and I'm so excited that I get to share this story with you all. I hope you like it! 
> 
> A special thanks to my artist Latt for doing a wonderful piece to go with this fic. You can find their work on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Serenity279) and [Tumblr](https://lattdraws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> *spoiler alert* Please check out their art piece for this fic [here!](https://twitter.com/Serenity279/status/1192670541959839745?s=20) (It goes with what happens in chapter 9 but feel free to check it out early if you want! You've been warned!! ) I'll link it in chapter 9 as well. 
> 
> Its also on Tumblr if you prefer that instead. :) [tumblr post](https://lattdraws.tumblr.com/post/188895845017/worthy-chapter-1-bgn846-final-fantasy-xv)
> 
> I can't believe I forgot to mention my awesome editor as well BossGoose! They helped me so much with this fic and I'm forever grateful for that. I hope you all enjoy!! 
> 
> Written for the 2019 Promnis Big Bang

The sides of the container felt like they were pressing in on him, but Prompto knew that couldn’t be true. Wooden crates don’t suddenly develop the ability to move; his mind was playing tricks on him. The fact that the crate also held a stone statue didn’t help either. What space was available was cramped and lumpy. 

Prompto kept telling himself that he only needed to deal with the waves of claustrophobia for another hour tops. The dizzying feeling he was experiencing was nearly unbearable. He knew he was sweating profusely and closing his eyes only seemed to make it worse. Being able to touch all the sides of his makeshift prison at the same time was not comforting.

The ride in the drop ship from Niflheim to Lucis didn’t take more than a couple hours. He knew that he’d been stuck in there for an hour already, according to his phone. Sixty more minutes. He could do this. So long as he didn’t focus on the stale air and lack of light. 

Gods he had to stay calm. The last thing he needed was to be prematurely discovered due to his distressed scent. If his irritating step brothers had let him come, then he wouldn’t be in this predicament. Prompto didn’t remember there being a rule anywhere about omegas not being able to do dignitary visits. 

Sadly, his step-father was no longer alive, or he would have defended the poor blond. The king of Niflheim had passed peacefully in his sleep two years ago. This left the country to be ruled by his remaining thirteen children, all of whom were alpha’s except for one: Prompto, the rare omegan male. 

Since he wasn’t technically related to any of his brothers by blood, it made court life difficult. The king had married his mother after she’d been widowed for many years. Prompto had grown to love his new step-father, but his brothers were another story. They at least treated his mother with respect even after the king’s death.

She had the smarts to stay out of the way of their antics and appear where they needed her for this and that. She was still queen, despite her lack of power, and his mother knew better than to rock the boat. So life had gone on and Prompto had watched as he was pushed further and further out of the picture.

Not that being thirteenth in line meant anything. He realistically knew he’d never make it near the throne, which was why he was currently hiding in a crate bound for Insomnia. Noctis Lucis Caelum, the only son and heir to the throne of Lucis, was a lucky sot. He didn’t have brothers to fight with, and his rise to the throne was guaranteed. Prompto also knew he wasn’t alone in his endeavors. He had a royal advisor. 

Ignis Stupeo Scientia of House Scientia. The man was renowned for his mental prowess, among many other traits. Scientia was the reason Prompto had subjected himself to this risky trip. He wished to hire the advisor for his own advancement. Niflheim wasn’t a rich nation, but it at least had enough royal reserves to pay handsomely for someone in Scientia’s position. 

Prompto’s issue, though, would be finding Scientia to make his offer without getting caught. Actually, who was he kidding? He had a lot of issues to deal with. A rather long list was growing in his head as he sat in the dark. How would he know when exactly to exit the crate without getting caught? Was finding food and shelter going to be a problem? Why didn’t he pack a freaking bag? Astrals, he was doomed. Maybe he should just stay in the crate and hope they forgot to unload it and went back home. 

That wish was not granted. As soon as the ship landed, the crate started moving. It was being unloaded. Trying to control his breathing, Prompto waited until the crate stopped and the voices nearby drifted away. Groping around in the dark, he felt for the gap that indicated the lose panel of wood. Once he located it, he pulled it away and squeezed out. 

He’d had enough sense to change before he’d smuggled himself onboard. Nothing stands out more than a blond-haired man wandering around in white princely raiment. It was strange to be wearing civilian clothes, but it was necessary to blend in. Now all he to do was figure out where he was and how to locate Scientia. 

Peering out from behind a large shipping container revealed that the city center was not close. Damn, how was he going to get to the citadel? His step brothers that had made the journey were riding in a caravan of fancy cars. Unless he wanted a beating, he would have to stay out of their sight. His presence alone would make them go full alpha at this point. 

He’d been strictly forbidden from journeying with them to Insomnia. His eldest step-brother, Alban, had resorted to shouting when Prompto had requested to go with them. He was an omega, and he was not fit to travel with the royal party. The visit was merely to mark the centennial anniversary of the peace treaty signed between the nations. Hence the giving of gifts, such as the statue he’d been stuck traveling with. 

A terrible idea flitted through the blond’s mind when he saw the royal’s tall clothing case being loaded on a truck. He needed to hide in their luggage. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to get past the gate at the citadel. 

Prompto copied moves from a spy movie he’d seen recently and tried his best to covertly run towards the truck before they closed the door. He was nearly there when a group of airport workers appeared. They were coming his way, and they were looking for something.

He watched in horror as the group of men, probably all alphas, began sniffing around. Shit. They were sniffing for him! One issue with emitting scents was you could never smell your own. A distressed omega was easy to smell, and these men were headed straight for him. 

He ducked down behind a box and tried his best to calm down. This was spectacularly bad. They would catch him and would not believe his story. He didn’t bring any documentation; he was simply an unclaimed omega. They would probably kidnap him or force themselves on him. That thought made Prompto shudder. 

They were close enough now that he could hear them talking. Then suddenly a surge of alpha scent clogged his nostrils. It was pure lust, they weren’t even hiding it. 

“I know I smell a fucking omega,” one man piped up with a gruff voice.

“It’s strong. Must have been a stowaway.”

“That’ll mean more fun for us, then.” Another chuckled sadistically. “They’ll have no one to help them.” 

Prompto had to bite his hand to keep from whimpering. He most definitely didn’t want to get caught by these thugs. Suddenly, he heard another man yelling farther away. The group of men grunted in response and tried to yell back. 

“We can’t help you right now, man. We’re hunting for something.”

The response that came was still too far away to really hear. Whatever they’d been told made them grumble louder, but they started to walk away. 

“This sucks. There’s an unclaimed omega out there hiding, and we won’t be able to come back until later to search.”

Okay. That decided it. Prompto absolutely needed to get his butt on the truck heading towards the citadel. Using another silly spy movie move, Prompto threw a rock he’d picked up at a container to make a loud noise. The two men loading the luggage turned and watched for a few minutes. It was just enough time for the prince to scurry on board and hide behind a large suitcase. 

The near encounter with the gross alphas had shaken him; he was trembling and had to sit down. Thankfully, the men finished loading a few minutes later, and the door was closed right after. Great. Stuck in another dark cramped space. Sighing heavily, Prompto tried to gather his thoughts. 

They might check the truck when they got to the gate; he needed to hide again. The one benefit to technically being in the royal family was that he knew the combo to the luggage lock. Using his phone flashlight, he was able to squish into the tall clothing case. Hopefully he didn’t pass out before they reached the guest quarters. 

If they found him stashed in their luggage, he’d most likely get locked back up in the box. That would be extremely unpleasant. His step brothers weren’t exactly known for their kindness towards him.

Unable to stop shaking, Prompto focused on breathing slowly. The space he was currently occupied felt even tighter than the wooden crate. All the clothing was pressing up against his body and triggering his claustrophobia something fierce.

Again waiting for the voices outside to fade, he cautiously exited the luggage case. Prompto all but collapsed on the floor when he felt the rush of fresh air hit his face. Assuming he looked a right mess, he only took a moment to catch his breath and then scrambled to find another hiding spot.

He’d moved just in time. The door to the guest suite swung in, and Alban strode in with his brother Otho. They were having a heated discussion.

“I told you not to let Porcius come. He’s a total bore,” Otho complained. “The Lucians will kick us out if he continues on in this manner.”

“Relax. It will be over soon enough, and then we’ll be home. Captain Drautos and the Marshal know he’s harmless. They’ll escort him away from people, if need be. So enjoy the food for now and the banquet tomorrow night. It’s the one time a year we get to have a taste of all the pretty Lucian girls they invite,” Alban commented.

“Yeah, easy for you to say. They flock to you, since you’re first in line. All those pretty girls want is to be queen.”

Alban laughed. “True, true. . . but you never know. I could actually meet someone worthy one of these visits.”

“I doubt it, Alban. You’re an absolute prick.” Otho snickered.

It sounded like the two had resorted to shoving each other as the conversation died out. The sound of the door opening and closing again indicated they’d left. Peering out from the drapery stack he’d been standing behind revealed an empty room. He still had to get out and into the citadel to find Scientia. Staring at the door to the suite revealed an issue; he had no way of knowing who, if anyone, was in the hallway. 

There had to be an access corridor somewhere for the staff. He simply needed to find that. After about twenty minutes and a few pinched fingers, Prompto found another door. This one was expertly hidden in a wall of books. Shoving the secret door open, he stumbled out into a clinically lit concrete hallway. The sound of the door latching and locking behind him caused Prompto to panic. Shit, how was he supposed to get back into the room now?

He had no map and no idea where to go. Opting to slowly wander the endless corridors, Prompto spent the next two hours hopelessly lost. He was tired and thirsty and starting to wish he’d never hatched this hair-brained scheme. 

A small creaking sound would catch Prompto’s attention every so often, and he was starting to worry that this mind was playing tricks on him. A moment later, he was being roughly tackled to the hard floor. He wasn’t sure whether to be grateful he wasn’t actually mad or just plain scared to death.

Prompto had been trained to fight, but he had no one to spar with, so his skills were terrible. The person who had attacked him was the total opposite. He even knew how to use magic – wait. That could only mean one thing.

He’d been found by the last person he wanted to see: Noctis Lucis Caelum. 

“What are you doing? What’s your mission?” Noctis growled in his ear as he pinned him to the cold ground. 

The Lucian prince had a knee in his back to keep him in place, and after a second, Prompto realized he was securing his wrists behind his back. That act alone caused the blond to truly panic. “No, no! Please don’t do that. Don’t hurt me!” he wailed. His fear was taking over. 

“Well, tell me who you are, and maybe I’ll be nicer,” the prince retorted. 

Prompto couldn’t think straight and lied. “I’m a servant for the Argentum family. Please, I got lost, don’t hurt me!”

“Pffft, like I’m gonna believe that. Come on, buttercup. You’re coming with me until I get you properly I.D’d,” Noctis announced as he briskly pulled Prompto upright and forced him to walk down the hall. 

Time blurred in Prompto’s mind, and after what felt like an hour but was probably closer to a few minutes, he was being shoved in a fancy wing chair. Before he was able to register what was happening, Noctis had tied his ankles together as well. 

“Sit still and keep quiet. I’m calling for backup.”

Prompto wanted the chair to swallow him whole; this was so, so bad. He pulled at his bonds slightly to test them. Noctis had done a good job. He was stuck. He was aware of the prince on a call with someone. He caught the tail end of the conversation.

“I found him wandering the back private corridors.” He paused as the other person spoke. “I don’t know, Specs. Just come and help me figure it out, please.”

The call ended shortly after, and Prompto was forced to wait. He hoped he wouldn’t pass out. The anxiety alone was going to stop his heart. It wasn’t true, though; his heart was going to explode. He had only to wait on their next visitor to prove it. The door to the room gracefully swung open and in stepped Scientia. 

Prompto’s mind was awash with emotion. His rehearsed speech for Scientia was leaking out of his brain as the seconds ticked by. It was being swept away by fear. The blond hadn’t taken into account one major thing: Scientia was an alpha. He’d gotten the wrong information on the advisor. Based off the look Noctis was giving the man, he knew what had happened. 

Foolish omega that he was, he’d assumed Noctis was an alpha and Scientia a beta. As he sat trembling in the chair, he saw his mistake clear as day. It was the reverse. Alpha’s were a problem for him - a very big problem. When Noctis had tackled him, he’d been so caught off guard that it didn’t register that Noctis didn’t smell like an alpha. 

Most interactions with alphas went terribly for Prompto - so much so that he tried to avoid them all together. Hiding in his quarters and rarely making public appearances helped, but he was on his own right now.

What transpired next was unexpected, as Ignis stood near the door and dumbly looked from Noctis and back to Prompto. “Noct, may I ask why on Eos you have decided to assault the crown prince of Niflheim?”

“Wha – no—I’ve met them all, and he isn’t one of them,” Noct spit out in disbelief. 

“I can assure you, Highness, that this is Prince Argentum the thirteenth in line for the throne of Niflheim.”

Noct was speechless as he stared at Prompto. “Nooo, I would have remembered that. He looks nothing like them!” The prince was scrambling, trying to save face. “I do read the briefings you give me. I’m not that bad!” 

Ignis turned back to face Prompto. “Highness, do forgive prince Noctis. He can be lacking in manners at times, but I can assure you he means well.” The advisor started walking over to his side of the room. 

Prompto yelped and shook his head vehemently. “Stay away from me! Don’t hurt me!”

This stopped Ignis in his tracks as a look of pure confusion bloomed on his pale face. “Highness, you’re safe. I can assure you of that. I won’t hurt you.” He edged a little closer, seeming to test for a reaction. This also allowed the advisor to clearly see Prompto’s feet. 

Still reeling from the whole experience, Prompto tried to curl in on himself. He wanted to hide. But in an instant, the mood changed. The air was thick with the smell of an angry alpha. 

Ignis’ voice rang out loudly. “Noctis Lucis Caelum, why have you restrained him?! For six sake, I can’t handle this right now! Go fetch me a glass of water. Now!” He growled. 

Stealing a glance at the dark-haired prince, the blond could tell that this reaction from Scientia was extremely rare. The prince of Lucis looked like a kicked puppy. His eyes were wide, and he backed away quickly to leave the room. Looking back to Scientia, Prompto was expecting the anger to merely be redirected to him. However, the advisor simply closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The scent in the room changed again, and Prompto could feel himself calming down. 

He whined softly, since he didn’t really understand what was going on. When Scientia opened his eyes again, he seemed more relaxed. 

“Highness. If I may, I would like to release you.” Scientia stated as he waited for Prompto to agree.

Prompto’s brain was mush. He couldn’t think straight anymore, but he did know he wanted to be untied. He just had to risk letting this alpha touch him. “Promise you won’t hurt me?” he questioned again quietly.

“I promise.” Scientia replied, still waiting for permission to approach.

Nodding slowly, Prompto still couldn’t help but flinch when Ignis began walking over. He closed his eyes and waited. The rope at his feet was loosened first, and he felt a strong but gentle touch squeeze his calf. Daring to crack his eyes open, he was surprised to find Ignis kneeling on the floor beside him. 

The very idea of an alpha kneeling before an omega would have made his step brothers cringe. Yet, here was one doing just that. Prompto allowed Ignis to coax him forward in the chair so he could reach his hands. 

“Are you injured in any way? I can secure a potion for you, if necessary,” the alpha asked from where he was still crouched on the floor. 

Shaking his head, Prompto leaned back in the chair and rubbed his wrists. Noctis finally came back into the room with a glass of water. He stalled out a few steps from them as if waiting for permission.

Ignis sighed and motioned him over. “I’m not cross with you, Noct. It’s merely a diplomacy nightmare when you accidentally attack a visiting prince.”

“No one knows I’m here,” Prompto offered right away. “I wasn’t supposed to come on this trip.” 

The prince of lucis made an odd grunting noise and looked at Ignis with a ‘I told you so’ expression. 

Ignis rolled his eyes and pointed at the glass of water. “I do believe our guest might be thirsty.”

Once Prompto had secured the glass with both hands, he nearly gulped its whole contents down. Then, in a flash, his insecurities came flooding back. What if they were drugging him? He must have looked distressed, or maybe he’d started emitting a scent, because in an instant the advisor was in his line of sight with a concerned look.

Oddly enough, it was Prince Noctis who figured out the issue. His solution was to snatch the glass back and take a sip. “It’s not been tampered with. It’s just water.” He finished, then set the glass down on the coffee table. “I’m sorry I tackled you. I really didn’t recognize you.”

Unable to respond due to his nerves, Prompto focused on breathing. The calm feeling from earlier was still permeating his senses and helping. Unfortunately, his journey was over almost before it had begun. Now that he’d been caught, there was no choice but to face his step-brothers’ wrath and hope the punishment wasn’t too severe. Scientia being an alpha had wrecked his plan. Prompto wasn’t sure he could handle working with one. 

“So I suppose I’ll have to fess up for delaying you, huh?” The prince pondered from where he leaned against the sofa arm. 

“Um – you don’t have to say anything. I can go back to the room by myself.” Prompto hoped they might let him walk out of there without issue.

“What if you get lost again? I can’t let that happen. Now that I know who you are, I really need to make sure you stay in good hands,” Prince Noctis announced. 

“Highness, may I inquire as to how you arrived here?” Scientia asked, looking at Prompto. 

The blond tried his best to not look at the floor when he answered, but it was so hard with Scientia’s green eyes staring right at him. “I snuck aboard the drop ship in the cargo area.”

Noct leaned forward at the comment and looked slightly shocked. “I thought when you said that no one knew you were here, you only meant you came on a different ship. Not that you stowed away!”

Shaking his head, Prompto lost the battle to continue looking at the advisor. He averted his eyes, focusing on the floor instead. Scientia hadn’t moved from his position. Prompto didn’t know why, but it was comforting to not be talked down to.

Ignis seemed lost in thought and eventually repositioned himself to sit on the coffee table. “Might it be more prudent for you to remain hidden while you’re here? I’m sure we can arrange a covert transport to take you back home.” 

Hardly able to believe what he was hearing, Prompto nearly fell out of his chair. “You mean it?” he asked, wide-eyed. 

“Why would that make a difference? His family is here - wouldn’t that be a better way to get home?” Prince Noctis asked, perplexed. 

Scientia pursed his lips and looked up at the prince. “I trust that you have at least been able to deduce that Prince Argentum is an omega, correct?”

“Well, yeah, of course, wha --.”

“Then you should also be aware that the royal family of Niflheim is headed mostly by alphas. Who happen to have a rather dated opinion of omegas. Which is rather upsetting considering that one of their own is of that dynamic.” 

The Lucian prince addressed Prompto directly for his next bevy of questions. “So you would prefer that none of your brothers know you’re here?”

“Step-brothers,” Prompto corrected.

“Sorry, but won’t someone notice you’re missing back home if you are gone for more than a day?”

“Not really. I mostly stay in my room,” the blond mumbled. 

“The queen perhaps? Might you like to get a message to her?” Scientia asked kindly. 

Prompto sighed. “My mum already knows. I knew she’d come looking for me, so I told her my plan.” 

“Yeah, that was my next question. What on Eos would you come here for?” Noct blurted.

The truth was easy to say, but Prompto knew he would be laughed at if he admitted his real reason for coming, so he lied again. “Uh, I just really wanted to see the capital city. I’ve never been.”

Prince Noctis scowled at the response. “That sounds a little lame to me, but I guess everyone has their own dreams.”

“Noctis!” Scientia exclaimed. “Why are you being so crass today? What has gotten into you?” 

The prince of Lucis rolled his eyes and looked away. Clearly he’d been around Ignis for a long time to treat him that way and not get reprimanded.

The advisor frowned and made to stand up. “I will work on securing transport for you to return home. Would you be alright staying here with Noctis for now?”

Prompto thought for a second and was working through his fears. Noctis didn’t seem that bad. He was a beta and had the chill demeanor of one to match. If the prince didn’t mind him staying, then he did feel safe there. “I would like to stay, if it’s alright.” he responded meekly. 

Scientia looked to the dark-haired prince and waited for an answer. Prince Noctis shrugged noncommittally. “I thought all visitors to my suite had to go through a background check first.” It appeared to Prompto that the lucian prince was trying to point out a mistake to Scientia. 

The royal advisor raised an eyebrow and turned to Noctis. “What makes you think I have not done this already? Prince Prompto was on the list of possible guests so he has already undergone the background check.” 

“Oh.” Noctis mumbled, “I don’t mind if he stays then. It will be nice to have someone else around.” He finished. 

“Very well, then. I will return once I have more information. Noct, I believe you may need to order dinner soon. I have a feeling our fair-haired friend here may be getting hungry.”

As if on cue, Prompto’s stomach growled loudly, and he could feel his face flushing. “So you won’t tell my step-brothers I’m here?” he confirmed again, still slightly scared of what would happen if they found out. 

“Your safety is important. I will endeavor to keep your presence hidden while you are visiting, Highness.” Ignis offered with a small bow. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get back to work.” 

As quickly as the man had breezed into his life, he waltzed back out. Scientia was gone, and Prompto wasn’t sure he’d see him again. He was a coward for not saying anything about his real reason for coming. Maybe he saw the bond that already existed between Noct and his advisor. They were close, and he knew Scientia wouldn’t leave his position. No money on Eos would convince him otherwise. That much was obvious. 

Noct’s waving hand suddenly appeared in his vision. “Hey, you okay there? Um – do you want to play some video games while we wait for dinner?”

“Huh? Sorry, uh – yeah, sure, that sounds like fun.”

“Don’t tell Iggy I had to ask, but what is your first name?” 

“Who’s Igg—y?” Prompto tried out the name on his lips. 

“Ignis, my advisor. The tall dude who invoked the power of the gods on my ass earlier when he asked for water.” 

“Oh. My name is Prompto.”

Prince Noctis sighed and seemed to relax a little. “That’s a good name. You can call me Noct, by the way. All my friends do.”

Prompto was slightly stunned by that admission as he followed Noct into another room and watched the prince get his game system ready. Maybe he was wrong to assume he wouldn’t get along with the other prince. Getting comfy on the couch, he accepted a gaming controller and proceeded to tune out the real world. 

For the first time he actually felt at ease. Maybe he would survive his adventure yet.


	2. Adjusting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto takes stock of his situation and meets some new faces.

Ignis Scientia was true to his word and had arranged for a discrete transport back to Niflheim for Prompto. The only catch was he would have to travel the day after the royal banquet. The blond would have to remain in Noctis’ quarters until that time. With this plan came the realization that Prompto would have to spend the night, twice, in an unfamiliar place. 

He was nervous at first when the idea was brought up. Ignis had called Noct right after they had eaten dinner to tell him the news, since he was still in meetings. The prince of Lucis seemed to take it in stride and announced quite casually that they were roomies for a few days. 

Prompto was secretly grateful that Noct was nice and a beta. He didn’t know what would have happened if he had to share space with an alpha. He was nineteen and really needed to get over his fear, but it was easier said than done. Alphas scared the shit out of him. Not having had a single good alpha experience until earlier that day with Scientia, Prompto had been avoiding them most of his life.

His mother was a beta, as had been the king. The astrals clearly wanted to turn the tables, and his step-father had produced a litany of alphas in his wake. His first wife must have been pregnant for years, and she was guilty of the worst of the bunch. Five sons, all alphas, and they were all dicks. She died due to complications of the fifth birth. Wife number two came along and popped out three more alphas. She requested a divorce when her youngest was barely weaned. She cited difficulties with the eldest sons as the issue. 

Wife number three managed to survive a little longer. She produced four more alphas to the king and unfortunately was caught cheating. The separation was quick, and Prompto sees her around visiting her sons from time to time. The king never wished to bar her from her children. 

Wife number four, Prompto’s mother, met the king at a party, and it was love at first sight. They were able to spend several happy years together, and the king accepted her only son without question. Prompto had been fourteen when they married. 

The king’s death was due to illness, and it shook his mother terribly when he passed. She remained strong for her son and carried on in the role of queen for the people. The general populous had grown to like her, and his step-brothers knew if they kicked her out bad press would follow. 

So here he was, two years later, and still no further up the line to the throne. If anything, after the king’s death, his chances had gotten worse. Thinking about his lack of a future was depressing. If only he’d been born an alpha. Then maybe he could have stood a chance.

Prompto realized he was spacing out again when Noct sighed loudly and cleared his throat. 

“You okay over there? I know this is all kinda weird.” 

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine. I’m just thinking about stupid stuff.”

“Judging by your facial expression, it didn’t look stupid.”

The blond laughed nervously. He wasn’t used to people actually talking  _ to _ him. His mother didn’t count. She never pushed for fear of upsetting him. “I’m okay really.”

“Fine, if you say so. How late do you want to stay up? I’ve got lots more games we could play, or if you would rather be left alone, I get that. This must all be very overwhelming,” Noct replied. 

Prompto bit his lips trying to think of a response. Yes, he was overwhelmed, but the prince didn’t contribute to that feeling. It was being in a new place with the constant fear of running into people he didn’t know that worried him the most. “I don’t need to be left alone; it helps to be with someone.” He offered softly. “I’m glad you’re not an alpha.” 

“Well, you’d be one of the few to admit that. Most people seem to think royalty should be an alpha. I have no idea how you deal with it, since you’re an omega.” 

“No one notices me, so not many people talk about it.” 

Noct didn’t respond right away, but looked confused for a moment. “Do you not give them a chance to notice you? Do you hide instead?”

Prompto nodded slowly. “It’s easier that way.”

“Huh, interesting.” Noct pondered.

It was obvious that there was more on the prince’s mind, but he chose not to say anything else. Prompto could only assume he’d realized that their lives were completely opposite. Picking up the game controller once more, he smiled, hoping Noct would understand. The rest of the evening progressed until Prompto passed out on the sofa. 

* * *

Opening the door to the suite, Gladio immediately noticed the distinct smell of omega. Ignis had been correct: the young Niflheimian prince had a unique scent. He’d been briefed earlier that morning by the advisor on how to handle the newcomer. Apparently, he suffered from a severe fear of alphas. 

Ignis was extremely busy setting up the banquet for later that evening, so he’d sent Gladio to collect Noct. However, he was given strict instructions not to approach Prompto unless he was comfortable first. As Gladio trudged into the main room, he realized this would be a difficult request. The two princes’ had clearly stayed up far too late and had fallen asleep in the living room. 

Noct was sprawled out over a large armchair and snoring lightly. He could literally fall asleep anywhere. Prince Prompto seemed more relaxed and was sleeping on the sofa. The shield seriously debated leaving the suite and calling Noct on his cell phone. There was no way he was going to be able to wake Noct up without disturbing Prince Prompto.

Secretly, he knew his charge wouldn’t rouse from a simple phone call, so he had no choice but to go the old fashioned route. Taking a deep breath and focusing on releasing calming pheromones, he slowly walked over to Noct. Sitting down on the coffee table in front of Noct, he reached out and shook the sleeping prince by his shoulders. 

“Noooooo,” Noct groaned. “Five more hours.” He pleaded. 

“Don’t you mean five more minutes, princess?” Gladio snickered. 

“NO!” he grumbled trying to sleep again. 

“Come on. Ignis needs you to get up so you can go rehearse your speech and do other royal bullshit.” 

“Why me?” Noct lamented.

“You know I’m more than willing to carry you to your next appointment in yesterday’s clothes, I’m not Ignis,” Gladio offered with a smirk. He was about to add more when a quiet yelp from behind him caught his attention. Their guest had most likely woken up, but he didn’t dare look to confirm it. Judging by the sudden change in the omegas scent, he was scared. 

Noct made an attempt to sit up fully. “Gladio, ya know it would be easier to wake up if you weren’t pumping out such a relaxing scent right now.” The dark haired prince yawned loudly and managed to pry his eyes open. “What gives?”

Gladio looked at Noct and rolled his eyes. “Are you going to introduce me to your new friend?” he asked instead of verbally berating the prince for his lack of awareness. He truly was a smart man, but sometimes he missed the painfully obvious. 

“Huh? Oh, Prompto, yeah sure.” Noct seemed to finally take in the state of his guest and threw a puzzled look over Glaido’s shoulder. “Hey, are you okay? What’s the matter?” 

The strangled noise that came as a reply was heartbreaking. The poor guy was terrified. Gladio still hadn’t turned around fully and was waiting for Noct to sort the young prince out. Opting to keep his body relaxed and his eyes down cast, he waited for Prompto’s scent to change.

“This is just my shield, Gladio. He won’t hurt you. It’s okay.” Noct didn’t wait for a response this time and quickly clambered out of the chair, stumbling over Gladio in the process. “I promise he’s really good at keeping princes alive. You have nothing to worry about.” 

Finally, Prompto uttered a response he could actually hear. “O—Okay.” 

Gladio took this small utterance as permission to finally face the Prince. “Highness, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Gladiolus Amicitia, shield to prince Noctis.” 

“Hi,” was all the blond haired man managed to squeak. His bright blue eyes were huge and threatening to bulge out of his head. Then, as if something suddenly distracted him, he furrowed his brow. “You keep mentioning a shield, but you’re not carrying one.” 

Gladio answered before Noct could. “I act as his bodyguard, so it’s more of a metaphorical shield.” 

“Why wasn’t Lord Amicitia with you yesterday when you found me?” Prompto blurted. 

Noct started turning a few shades of pink and looked away. 

“Sometimes he ignores the rules and sneaks out. From the sounds of it, I may need to start training you, too, if this one managed to subdue you.” 

Noct smirked and then frowned. “Hey! What are you insinuating?” 

A small giggle broke the tension, and Prompto quickly covered his mouth to try and hide his smile. 

“He made fun of you, too!” Noct exclaimed.

“True, but I’ve not had training, so I believe the insult is worse for you.” 

Looking directly at Prompto, the shield nodded in agreement. “Highness, please feel free to call me Gladio. Lord Amicitia is my father's’ title.” 

“He’s the king's bodyguard, right?” Prompto asked quickly.

“Correct. My family has been protecting the Lucis Caelums for generations.”

“That is so amazing that you get a bodyguard,” Prompto mused.

“You don’t have a personal guard back home?” Noct asked incredulously. “I would have thought you being an omega meant you’d get extra protection.” Prompto stayed silent and looked at the floor. “Uh – damn, that sucks.” Noct sighed.

“I’m afraid I have to steal Noct away for a few hours. Will you be alright in the suite by yourself?” Gladio asked.

“I think so. No one else new will come in, correct?”

“That’s correct, Highness. I do have a trusted beta guard on duty nearby, and I will give you his phone number. If anything urgent comes up, call him and he’ll help you until we get back,” Gladio announced. 

“What’s their name?” Prompto asked slowly. “They won’t come in here unless I ask, right?”

“His name is Nyx, and no, he won’t come in unless you ask. He’s patrolling this wing, so he won’t be in front of the door. He’s been told to keep an eye on the corridor and make sure no one disturbs you.”

“What should I do if someone knocks on the door?”

“Ignore it. If you sense danger, hide and call Nyx.” 

The last statement seemed to calm the fair haired prince. “Ok, I can handle that. Will you all be returning for lunch?”

“No guarantees. Ignis likes to keep a tight schedule. I will check with him and get a message to you one way or another.”

“I have Noctis’ phone number, so he can text me.”

“I told you a bunch of times already, it’s alright to call me Noct.” Prompto bobbed his head in response and smiled. 

Gladio stood up and gave a slight bow to Prompto before walking towards the door. “I’ll wait outside for you, Noct.” He continued on his way and went to seek out Nyx with an update. Once he was confident all was well, Gladio directed his sleepy prince towards his next meeting.

* * *

“One more meeting to go, highness, and then you are done for the day.” Ignis sighed. “I’ve worked to clear your schedule for the afternoon, so you can rest before the banquet.”

“Good, Prompto and I can play more video games together. He likes all the same ones I do.” 

“Do remember you need to rehearse your speech. Don’t waste away the entire afternoon gaming.” 

“Yeah, I know, but it’s nice to have someone around my age who likes the same stuff. I don’t know how he doesn’t go crazy at home. It sounds like he’s got nobody to hang out with besides his mom.” Noct paused with a frown. “I’m not knocking that. It’s nice she’s there for him, but he’s alone the rest of time. I have you and Gladio, but he’s stuck there in a sea of stupid alphas. No offence, but his step brothers sound like grade A assholes.”

Ignis went quiet suddenly. Noct had enough issues being a beta prince; he could only imagine the hardships Prompto must endure. “Did you happen to figure out his real reason for visiting?”

“No, I tried to pry lightly, but he seemed unwilling to talk about it. I know that sightseeing bullshit was a lie. I can’t figure out what would be worth all the trouble he went through to get here.” 

“Perhaps in time he will tell us. Do you think you will try and stay in touch once he returns home?”

Noct shook his head and threw a look at Ignis. “Who do you think I’ve been texting all morning?”

“Though I’m upset at your lack of manners during meetings, I will commend your effort at making a new friend.”

The final meeting of the day was blessedly canceled, and the trio made their way back to Noct’s royal chambers. Ignis spotted Nyx nearby when they approached and gave a discreet nod for his help. The advisor had selected Nyx specifically due to his dynamic and good natured attitude. The man also knew how to keep a secret, and that was essential. 

“You did warn him that Gladio and I were both coming, correct?” Ignis asked as he went to unlock the door. 

“Yeah, he knows. Want me to go in first?”

Ignis didn’t answer but pushed the door open and allowed Noct to slip past him. “Gladio, do remember to give Prompto his personal space.” 

“I have been through diverse dynamics training Iggy. I’m not an animal. I did really well this morning. You would’ve been proud.”

“That fact that I let you come alone should have been indication enough that I trust you explicitly,” Ignis calmly offered. Gladio smiled, and if he puffed up his chest slightly, Ignis chose not to comment.

When they walked into the living room, both princes were talking a mile a minute. Prompto had found a hidden level in a game they’d played the night before. Noct was regaling him with tales of the boring council meeting he’d had to endure. 

“Two peas in pod, huh?” Gladio admitted when he noticed the exchange. 

Ignis shook his head but still smiled at the sight. “I’ll be in the kitchen preparing lunch if you need me.” Gladio nodded but ended up following him in with an excuse of not being able get a word in edgewise. The two younger men had tuned out the Eos around them. 

He was halfway through cutting a sandwich when Gladio piped up again. “Why are you taking extra care with prince Prompto?”

“Hmmm, whatever do you mean?”

“I’ve never seen you so hyper focused on someone else’s well being aside from Noct in a long time.” 

“I care about others,” Ignis huffed with a pout. 

“Shit.” Gladio grumbled. “Not what I meant. Uh – how do I put this – you have been treating him exactly like Noct.”

That made him pause. Had he really been doing that? “I merely wish to ensure his safety since he’s here unaccompanied. I wouldn’t want to have to face his mother should something happen.” 

Gladio titled his head in thought. “I get that, and if he stays in touch with Noct once he’s back home, then you can make sure he’s doing okay.” 

Ignis was struck with an odd thought after Gladio stopped talking. Why would he care about this strange omega so much? They’d barely spoken more than few sentences since he’d arrived yesterday. However, he felt drawn to the blond. Not really wanting to blame base dynamic chemistry, Ignis shooed the idea away and finished fixing lunch.

Thankfully, lunch was an easy affair, despite a slightly rocky start. Prince Prompto had been visibly nervous to be at the table with Gladio and himself. For once, Noct’s complete lack of tact actually helped. He’d picked up right away that his new friend was behaving differently in front of his retainers, so the dark-haired prince simply announced that his alpha friends didn’t bite. 

Gladio had to work hard to stifle a laugh, which unexpectedly set Prompto off in a giggle. The tension was broken and lunch continued. Noct, of course, chose to ignore Ignis’ piercing gaze from across the table. Years of etiquette training, and he throws it away in the blink of an eye. 

Lunch was soon over and more work beckoned, as Ignis had to verify things were getting done properly for the banquet. He quickly said his goodbyes and slipped out to return to work. However, he couldn’t seem to shake the empty feeling he had once he’d left the suite. Was it even possible for an omega to make someone feel this way? He had no time to dwell on the thought, since he had a banquet to coordinate.

* * *

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Noct asked for a third time.

“Yes, I’ll be fine.” Prompto sighed. “You said that beta soldier was stationed nearby again, right?”

“Yep, Nyx. He’s really nice, and he will be available if you need him right away.”

Prompto nodded and leaned into the sofa cushion to rest his head. “How long will you have to stay?”

“Ugh, I have to make a speech at around eight, and then Iggy will want me to meet and greet. Blech, I detest talking to total snots.”

“Hopefully you won’t have to talk to my step-brothers too much. Alban is only there to meet chicks.” 

Noct laughed at the admission. “I hope he realizes that the women that attend these functions are horrible. All they want is your money and title. Iggy has to beat them off with a stick sometimes if they come after me.” 

“That’s really nice that you have Scientia to do that for you.” 

“You can call him Ignis. He wouldn’t mind. I’m sure of it, actually, since he’d been nothing but super nice to you.”

“What do you mean?” Prompto asked. 

“He’s been treating you better than me! Asking Nyx to do guard duty is huge. The man’s a decorated, high-ranking soldier; he graduated past guarding a door a long time ago. Iggy has also been controlling his scent around you. Gladio, too, but I think Iggy told him to do that,” Noct offered.

“Really?” The blond mumbled. “Those are good things, though, right?”

“Yeah, totally. It just means he likes you is all.”

“I’m only an omega. There’s no reason for him to do any of that. He’s being nice, because you would get mad otherwise.”

Noct narrowed his eyes at Prompto. “Nah, I know Iggy, and he wouldn’t act like without a good reason. I’m pretty sure I’m not the reason.” 

“Oh.” Prompto wasn’t sure what to think of that information. What did Noct mean by ‘like’? He knew the prince had to leave soon, but he wished he could go with him and see all the people dressed up. “Will you have your phone?” He asked finally.

“Yeah, I’ll send you pictures when I can. There are always some really funny people wandering around.”

“Is it okay to use the kitchen when I get hungry later?” Prompto asked when Noct stood up to retrieve his shoes. 

“Oh, I almost forgot Iggy’s got dinner being delivered for you. It will be the same catering as the banquet, so you get to taste the food. See! Yet another nice thing my advisor has done for you!” Noct exclaimed. 

“Will I have to talk to someone for the food?” Prompto asked nervously.

“Nah, the dumbwaiter in the kitchen will buzz, and you can go collect it. It only fits a tray of food, so you’ll be safe.” 

The blond relaxed and smiled. It appeared his hosts had thought of everything. “Don’t forget to send me stuff.” 

Noct smiled. “I won’t, don’t worry. I wish I could stay here with you and be lazy, but duty calls. Gladio should be here any minute. Call me if something urgent comes up. Otherwise, I think you should be fine.” 

Prompto instinctively ducked down behind the couch when Gladio showed up to collect Noctis. The alpha had changed into formal robes and he looked very handsome. Gladio smiled at him and waved goodbye when they left a few minutes later. Suddenly wondering what Ignis was wearing, Prompto hoped Noctis would send him a picture. 


	3. Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new player emerges that may or may not have a bearing on Prompto's life as our shy omega attempts to return home.

“My money’s on the dark haired one with the sharp nose,” Ardyn idly commented from his position standing next to Ignis. 

“I believe she tried last year. Do you think she’d be foolish enough to repeat her failure?” 

Ardyn snorted softly and raised an eyebrow. “Of course she’ll try again. She wants the title of queen.” 

“I can tell you with certainty that Gladio won’t let her within ten feet of Noctis. Lady Pravus is known to be quite clingy.”

“We shall see,” Ardyn offered as they watched. 

Ignis had managed to take a small break before Noct’s speech and had found a quiet spot to rest near a large potted plant. Ardyn had spotted him immediately and had gone over to fraternize. Ardyn usually never made an appearance at large social gatherings, but this was his one exception. Each year he would make bets with Ignis regarding who would vie for the prince’s attention. 

It had turned into sport at this point. Noct was very secretive about who he liked, which left the general public always on the hunt for details. Without fail, every banquet featured throngs of suiters working to woo Noct. All attempts ended in failure, but some did get close enough to earn a dance or maybe even a peck on the cheek. This is what Ardyn and he bet on: how close they could get to Noctis and what they would do. 

Ignis considered Ardyn to be eccentric. He was supposed to be Regis’ older brother, though Ignis doubted the authenticity of that claim. They looked nothing alike, and Ardyn had control over a more powerful magic than the king. He’d seen it in use once. The king’s magic was blue. Ardyn’s was red. 

Noct had told him once that Ardyn had been inside the crystal. The advisor wasn’t sure he wanted to believe that tale. Eos had been at peace for over one hundred years. The scourge that had plagued their realm had been banished by the oracle many decades ago. Whatever reason Arydn would have for even attempting to commune with the crystal was unknown. 

The man beside him seemed quite content to potter around the citadel and scare new crownsguard recruits. He lived his life like a never ending vacation, though when Noct was born, he rapidly turned into the doting uncle. That was part of the reason Ignis was so comfortable around him. 

From the tender age of seven Ignis had been by Noct’s side, as he was slated to be his future advisor. So he’d naturally been included in the many games of hide and seek and chess with Uncle Ardyn. Where others found him creepy, Ignis merely looked to him as a silly older brother.

“She’s going in for the kill.” Ardyn interjected quietly. “I say she gets stopped within five feet.”

Ignis sighed; he knew Gladio would intercept her, but she was tricky, if he remembered anything from last year. “She’ll get stopped but manage to touch his arm.”

“Oh, you think she’ll manage a connection. This  _ will _ be interesting.” 

Ardyn and he watched as a polished-looking woman in an expensive gown approached the prince. Lady Saeva Pravus was from Altissia and born into a well-to-do family. However, their money had begun to run out, and she was actively looking for a wealthy mate. Most avoided her advances, but others were blinded by her beauty, unaware that she had a terrible temperament and a mean streak equal to a raging behemoth. 

It was this vile creature that was making her way toward the crown prince of Lucis with a determined gait. Sure enough Gladio, intercepted her, but a second later he had his eyes screwed shut in pain and had been side-stepped.

Ignis made to leave his position to lend aid, but Ardyn stopped him. “If she had done something truly deemed a threat, Gladio would have called out. She’s most likely thwacked him with the back of her hand.” 

“In his nuts?!” Ignis hissed. He was agitated by the very idea of someone behaving that way at a fancy dress party.

“Do keep in mind that Gladio chose not to harm a drunk crown citizen years ago. The man made an advance at Noct with a blade, no less, and he left him unharmed. Of course, she would use this information to her advantage.”

Bless the shield for being in control of his emotions, because he certainly could have used force after being treated in such a manner. Ignis scowled as he watched Lady Pravus continue on her way to Noct with Gladio stiffly following. Neither of them could hear the exchange of words, but the prince bore an angry glare. 

The conversation lasted only a minute, and then she reached out, preparing to touch Noct’s arm. Ignis was both proud and slightly upset with the prince’s next action. He held up his hand and sneezed. This, in turn, stopped Lady Pravus in her tracks, her hand hovering in midair. She waivered, clearly uncertain of whether to continue or not; it appeared she didn’t want to get near him. Perhaps this woman, for all her gusto, was afraid of germs. 

Noct scrunched up his face to unload another sneeze. Lady Pravus bowed quickly and stepped away, nearly tripping over Gladio as she fled. “I was not expecting that,” Ignis admitted after a moment.

“You owe me,” Ardyn trilled.

“That I do, though I’m proud of his efforts to shoo her away despite my lost bet. She is a terrible woman.”

“Should we go see if the crown prince is coming down with a cold?”

“Hmmm, yes, that sounds like a splendid idea,” Ignis replied.

  


* * *

Noct had readied himself for a third sneeze when he felt Gladio’s hand on his shoulder. 

“She’s gone,” he spit out. “You can stop sneezing.” 

“What the hell did she do to you? Step on your toe with her pointy shoe?” Noct asked with concern as he brought his hand down. “Whatever it was, looked like it hurt.”

“Talk to my manhood about it later,” he grumbled with a wince. 

“Ow. She must use that move a lot to have caught you off guard.” 

“Yeah, it was practiced alright. Good thing I’m trained well enough to not toss her rude ass across the room.”

“I wouldn’t have minded that. She gives me the creeps.” 

The sound of brisk footsteps filling the air caused Gladio to turn quickly. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw who was approaching. “Did you see the snake?” the shield asked in a whisper.

“I’m afraid I did.” Ignis offered as he nodded to them both. “Noct, I will say you made me lose my wager, but I’m proud of your evasion efforts this year. Very well done.”

Smiling Noct took the praise from his advisor and held his head a little higher. “Who do you think her next victim will be?”

“Oh dear.” Ardyn hummed. “It appears she has decided the king of Niflheim will suit her needs.”

“King Alban isn’t exactly a nice guy, but I’m not sure he deserves her attention either,” Noct muttered. “I still don’t understand why he doesn’t bring his own guard when he visits.” 

“He and Captain Drautos are friends, Highness,” Ignis added dryly. “Hence his reason for ‘forgetting’ to secure his security detail every year he visits.” 

“Well, it’s dumb. If Drautos likes him so much, why doesn’t he move to Niflheim?” 

“His chances at rising to a position of power are greater in Lucis,” Ardyn commented calmly. “Some people are after simple things.” 

Noct frowned at the thought. It wasn’t exactly comforting to think someone so close to the royal family would be so open in their aspirations. That, however, was Drautos to a T. “Oh, she’s trying to talk to him – ew, she’s going for the arm grab.”

“Touch is a normal way to show one’s emotions, Noct. I don’t see why it bothers you so much,” Ignis huffed.

“Still gross and not my thing.” 

The four of them watched in silence as Lady Pravus firmly latched onto King Alban’s arm and led him around the party. Unable to hear what was being said, they lost interest after a while. The conversation unfortunately started back again regarding his upcoming speech. Noct hated to talk in front of others. He’d been trained well enough to hide his disdain, but it didn’t make it any easier. 

Soon the time approached, and he was ushered toward the stage. Ignis gave him a pat on the back and nearly shoved him up the last few steps. His advisor knew he didn’t want to talk, so it was a struggle each time. 

Thankfully, he survived his efforts, and within ten minutes he was back safely hiding behind his shield. “Gladio, how much longer do I have to stay here. I want to go back and hang out with Prompto.”

“Not up to me, buddy. We gotta ask Iggy,” he offered with an understanding smile. 

Ignis strolled up a second later and stared at him hard. “You want to bail already, don’t you?” he asked.

“Is it that obvious?” 

“Terribly,” Ignis said wryly. “Perhaps the migraine you will suddenly be afflicted with in the next minute will force you to return to your chambers and rest.” 

“Gladio.” Noct hissed. “He’s being nice to me because of Prompto isn’t he?”

The shield shrugged and smiled. “So, are you going to take advantage of it or not?” 

“Ow, my head, it aches. Please, someone accompany me to my quarters. I must rest.”

Ignis smiled and squeezed Noct’s arm as Gladio herded him towards the exit. “Do take care and let me know if you need anything.”

They made it out in the hallway easily, considering most people didn’t dare stop Gladio when he appeared set in his ways. Once they were away from the people, Noct ducked under Gladio’s arm and leaned into his side. “That lady was so icky.” 

The shield hummed noncommittally and hugged him closer. “Only a few more months, and you can make an official announcement.” 

“I know, but I still wish I could tell everyone now.” 

“And risk the wrath of Iggy? Oh no, I’m not dealing with that. He wants you to wait until your twentieth birthday, and then you can tell whomever you like.”

Noct whined again but dropped the subject. He knew his advisor was always right when it came to matters like this. “Do you want to stay and hang out a little?” the prince tried as they neared the suite. 

“Nah, I promised Sana I’d call her tonight. She wanted to hear about the party.”

“Be sure to tell her how I got rid of icky pants. I know she’ll laugh at that.”

Gladio snickered and shook his head. “That will be the highlight, considering what she did to me to get to you!” 

Noct pushed the heavy door open to the suite and laughed when Gladio stood waiting for him to close the door. The prince, for once, would have liked being able to wave goodbye as people left his suite, but not when that someone was his bodyguard. Gladio would always wait for him to close the door, and then he’d leave. It felt wrong, but the shield didn’t seem to mind; he took it as part of the job description. 

A bubbly laugh caught Noct’s attention as he walked toward the living room. He could barely hear, but it appeared Prompto was talking to someone. Nervous that there was another person in the suite, he snuck up to the door and peered in. Prompto was alone and talking on the phone. 

“I’m really ok. Trust me, mum. Prince Noctis is nice, and he likes the same things as me.” The blond paused for a minute. “Yeah, I don’t think that plan will work anymore – no, he’s an alpha, mum.” 

Noct instantly became worried. What kind of plan had Prompto been trying to enact? 

His downtrodden voice came back a few seconds later. “I didn’t even ask. They are really close, and I know he wouldn’t leave the prince.” 

Leave? Who the heck was Prompto talking about? He’d only met two alphas: Gladio and Ignis. Noct wasn’t sure which one Prompto was referring too.

“Muuum,” Prompto whined suddenly. “Seriously, I can’t ask. They are happy. He wouldn’t want to leave, trust me. No matter how much money the position paid.” 

Noct was still terribly confused. Prompto had neither an advisor nor a shield, so it was unclear which thing he desired more. 

“I was scared at first, but he’s been really nice. Noct even thinks he’s being nicer than normal.”

Ok, that clinched it. Prompto was talking about Ignis. So that was the reason the omega prince had stowed away. He wanted to offer Ignis a job as his advisor. 

“I don’t know why I didn’t realize he was the alpha. I feel kinda stupid that I didn’t know. I mean, it might be better. I like hanging out with Prince Noctis. I don’t think I could handle it if he were an alpha.”

The guilt of eavesdropping finally caught up to Noct’s brain, and he silently backed away. Opting to slam a closet door and shout hello, he hoped Prompto would hear him coming. 

“Hey Noct!” he shouted. “I’m on the phone with my mum, hold on,” he added once Noct rounded the corner. 

“I gotta go, mum. I’ll be home tomorrow, kay? I love you.” He finished as he waited for what Noct assumed was a similar message. 

“Sorry, she called to check on me, so I filled her in on my adventure so far.” 

“No worries. You’ll be home soon, so I’m sure that will make her feel better.”

Prompto nodded in agreement. “Hey, I thought you were going to be gone longer. What happened?”

“I got bored and I finished my speech, so Iggy let me skip out early.”

“I got your text message about that horrible lady. What did she look like?” Prompto asked with excitement.

“Oh, I took a picture. Wait until you see this piece of work. She’s an alpha and a total bitch.” Noct watched as Prompto visibly shuddered while he fished his phone out. 

“She’s really pretty,” Prompto announced, surprised. “I thought she’d be ugly.”

“Nope. Only on the inside, apparently, otherwise how would she trap all her potential mates?” 

“What’s her name again?”

“Lady Saeva Pravus - or snake lady as Gladio likes to call her. Ya know, because she lies in wait until you least suspect it and then strikes!” Noct yelled with a fake hiss. 

Prompto burst out in laughter. “So she tried to hit on you too?” 

“I don’t know what it was. She just wants a title. I sneezed on her, though, and she booked it after that.” 

The blond looked at Noct, bewildered. “You sneezed on her?!” 

“Well, yeah, I can’t tell her to go away, and I can’t make nasty faces, so sneezing made the most sense. It’s not rude, and it doesn’t get me in trouble. Everyone sneezes.” Noct smiled. He’d truly enjoyed seeing her face when he tried the move. She’d gone pale and couldn’t get away fast enough. “I do need to warn you, though, that she went straight after your step-brother once she’d abandoned me.”

“Who, Alban? He’s terrible. I’m sure she’ll give up once she sees how awful he is,” Prompto mused.

“I hope so. I wouldn’t want that lady to be part of your already crazy family.”

Noct showed Prompto more photos and the remainder of the evening was spent talking and playing video games. 

  


* * *

Ignis couldn’t help but continually check the rear view mirror as they drove to the airfield. The omega had been busy texting nonstop once Ignis had collected him from Noct’s suite. The advisor suspected he was chatting with Noct. They’d hit it off quite well during his short stay. The prince of Lucis had actually hugged the boy goodbye. Noct didn’t do that sort of thing unless he really liked someone. 

A small noise caught the advisors attention and he looked again to Prompto. The blond took a deep breath and seemed to be working on speaking clearly. “Noct said I could ask you what the plan is for after we arrive.” 

“Certainly, Highness,” Ignis agreed. “I’ve arranged a dropship to take you back home. It will be piloted by a trusted crownsguard member. Nyx will travel with you and escort you to a location of your choosing once you land.” 

“Nyx will be with me the whole trip?” Prompto asked to double check. 

“Yes, unless you order him away.” 

Prompto shook his head violently and dropped his eyes. “Um, if something unexpected happens what should I do? Can I call someone?”

“I’ll give you my number, just in case, and that way you can alert me to your safe arrival.” Ignis peered in the rear view mirror quickly and saw a blush forming on the prince’s pale face. “Unless you’d rather solely communicate with Noctis.”

“I want your number,” Prompto blurted out, and then he groaned and buried his face in his hands. 

Ignis tried not to smile, and he could tell that Nyx was working equally hard to not giggle. The poor omega was not used to dealing with other people. 

“Excellent. That will ensure you have several avenues of contact should you need it,” Ignis added, hoping the prince would calm down. 

Soon afterward, Ignis turned into the airfield and began slowly driving on the access road towards the dropship. They were nearly there when Prompto made a strangled noise and threw himself down on the floor of the back seat. 

The smell changed immediately, and Ignis could tell Prompto was terrified. “Highness, what’s wrong? Is there a threat nearby?” he asked as the car slowed to a stop.

“Those – those men,” he stuttered. “Over by that building. They were here when I landed, and they were hunting for me. Please, they can’t find me. They’ll do bad things.” 

“You are safe with us, Highness. Please try to calm down,” Ignis soothed in a low voice.

Prompto whined and continued to cower in the back seat. “They’ll smell me again and try to take me away. We have to leave.” 

It hurt Ignis to think that Prompto had to deal with this on a regular basis and that his only option was to run away and hide. “We have business to conduct, Highness, and you have every right to be here as well. We will ensure you get home safely. Please try to trust us,” the advisor tried again. 

Prompto seemed to be mulling over what Ignis had just told him, and he stayed silent. Nyx spoke up next in an effort to help. “Kiddo, you’ve got two highly-trained crownsguard with you. Those nasty guys won’t stand a chance.”

Surprisingly, Prompto lifted his head slightly with a confused look and questioned. “Two guards? Is there another car with us?” 

“No, Iggy is a trained fighter, just like me.” Nyx replied. 

Turning in his seat, Ignis looked straight into Prompto’s blue eyes and held his gaze. “I can assure you no one will hurt you.” 

Prompto appeared to short circuit for a moment. Ignis wasn’t aware of the time passing until Nyx cleared his throat. “They are walking away. I think we can continue on.”

“Hmmm? Oh, wonderful,” Ignis murmured. “Are you ready, Highness?” 

Prompto carefully peered up in between the front seats. He was looking for the men who’d tormented him earlier. When he seemed satisfied that they’d gone, he nodded and took his seat again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to delay us.” 

“Nothing to be sorry about, Highness,” Ignis offered.

“Yeah, alphas can be scary and just plain stinky sometimes,” Nyx added with a smirk. 

“Ulric!” Ignis hissed. “Don’t fill the poor boy’s head with nonsense.”

“He knows I’m trying to make a joke, right Highness?” Nyx asked as he craned his neck to catch a glance of Prompto. 

The blond finally smiled and nodded slightly.

“Astrals, you two will be the death of me,” Ignis lamented as he pulled up next to an older model dropship. “I do expect a full report once you’ve landed in Niflheim, and do alert me to any oddities.”

“Understood. I’ll go check and make sure we are ready to go, and then we’ll be off. Wait here,” Nyx announced as he exited the car.

The second the door shut, Prompto’s voice squeaked out from the backseat. “Uh – don’t forget to give me your number.” 

Ignis recited his number and waited for Prompto to send him a text to ensure it had been copied correctly. “Do remember to let me know if you need anything. I don’t care how trivial you may think it. Please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Prompto nodded his head vigorously and bit his lip. “Thanks for helping me. I don’t know what I would have done.”

Ignis offered the blond a smile. “It was no trouble; please know you are welcome as a guest of the prince of Lucis anytime.” The advisor was trying mightily not to think of what would have happened if Prompto’s step brothers had discovered him. The outcome would have been vastly different.

He was about to add more when Nyx came back and lightly tapped on the window. Prompto looked out at him and slowly reached for the door handle. “Thanks again. I hope I get to come back and visit soon.” 

Ignis nodded his goodbye, and Prompto opened the door and left the vehicle. The strange empty feeling was threatening to return as he watched the young man walk away. What was it about this omega that he felt such a draw to? He waited for the dropship to close its doors and take off, unwilling to drive away until he couldn’t see it anymore in the distance. 

He sent a quick message to Nyx asking for updates. Thankfully, the man didn’t question his desires and sent him a message back. Prompto was fine - why wouldn’t he be? He was going home and he would live out his life. That was that. 


	4. Returning Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto tries to work though his feelings while Ignis learns some new facts about the omega's home life.

Prompto wasn’t nearly as nervous as he’d been when the dropship had taken off. He wasn’t worried about the aircraft so much as the people on board. Nyx Ulric had been tasked with ensuring his safe return to Niflheim and was currently sitting opposite him playing on his phone. The pilot seemed to not notice them and focused on flying. 

Thankfully both of the other men were betas and he didn’t have to worry about feeling intimidated. Prompto wasn’t sure how far Nyx would travel with him once they’d landed. He was too afraid to ask and figured waiting to find out would do fine. 

He was able to text Noct for a little while, but the prince of Lucis had to go for a meeting, so he was unavailable at the moment. Ignis was most likely in that same meeting, so he didn’t want to bother the advisor, either. Not that he needed to. He would have been terrified by that thought two days ago. Something seemed different now; Ignis had been more than kind to him and genuinely appeared concerned about his welfare.

Maybe he would work up the courage to text him later. He didn’t have a chance to think on it more when Nyx cleared his throat and looked over to him.

The soldier was smiling and leaning forward in his chair. “Have you arranged for anyone to meet you when we land?”

“Um – my mum will be expecting me, but I told her to wait in her rooms.” 

“Is there security in between the airfield and the palace?”

The blond was taken off guard by the question. “Security? No, not really. The dropships land fairly close to my house. I was able to walk.”

“You live at the palace, right?” Nyx questioned.

“Yes, of course, but it’s not fancy like the citadel. We have a main government building and housing in the back for all my step-brothers.”

“They don’t all live in the same house, do they?”

Prompto laughed and shook his head. “No, though I wish they did. There might be less of them around if that were the case.” 

Nyx nodded understandingly. “I get that. I’ve got orders to escort you to a safe location, and if you don’t mind I’d like to ensure you get to your quarters. I know my report back would be easier if I had solid data confirming you’d arrived safely.” 

“Oh, you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. I’ll text Noct when I get back to my room. I don’t want to be any trouble.” 

“It’s no trouble highness. I would prefer to escort you all the same. Is that alright with you?” 

Nodding quickly, Prompto looked away. He wasn’t used to people paying attention to him. It was strange. He knew Nyx had his orders, but he still seemed determined to follow through despite Prompto’s protests. 

Twenty minutes later, he was standing on the tarmac in the biting cold. Prompto suddenly missed his short stay in Lucis. Niflheim was not a vacation destination in any sense. He immediately took off for a small worn dirt path on the side of the airfield. “This way,” he uttered quickly as he motioned for Nyx to follow. 

The soldier went after him without a word and kept pace until they reached a dingy looking shed. Prompto dug in his pockets and produced a key to the padlock adorning the door. “I left my clothes in here for when I came back. Are you able to wait a few more minutes?” 

“Certainly Highness. Leaving you here wouldn’t exactly make me feel warm and fluffy.” 

Prompto hurriedly opened the door and rushed inside. Grabbing a bag he’d hidden in the corner revealed his white princely raiment. It was time to return to reality, no matter how awful it was. It only took a few minutes to change and he stuffed the bag with his dirty clothes back in the corner. A small part of his brain secretly hoped he would need them again soon. Otherwise, he would come back out later and get them. 

“It’s another ten minute walk to the back of the compound.” Prompto announced once he’d excited the shed. “My house is in the back so no one should see us.” 

Nyx continued on and didn’t question anything. Prompto could see his eyes darting about; he was working. The blond had to force himself to not run when he saw his house come into view.

A second later Nyx’s hand was on his shoulder and tugging him down. “Guards,” he whispered, pointing over to two men walking. 

They waited for the two guards to pass before leaving their hiding place. Once the back door was within sight, he ran up and produced another key. Without thinking, he unlocked the door, grabbed Nyx’s arm, and shoved him inside. If the soldier was fazed, he didn’t show it. 

“Now I can send a good report back.” He smiled. “Do you require anything else before I go back to the airfield? I’ve got a little more time before I leave again.”

“Huh? Why?” Prompto asked, unable to stamp his curiosity.

“Ignis arranged for us to be picking up cargo today. Some statue or something, I’m not sure. I didn’t ask.” Nyx laughed. 

“Oh – Do y--.” 

“Prompto!” A woman’s voice rang out, cutting him off. “Oh, thank heavens you’re safe!” 

“Mum!” he shouted as he ran forward to hug her. “I told you over the phone that they were escorting me.” 

The queen approached Nyx and smiled. “Thank you so much for taking care of my son. I hope he didn’t cause too much trouble for arriving in the manner he did.”

“Not at all, Majesty. We were happy to have his highness as a guest in Lucis,” Nyx replied easily. 

Prompto watched with amusement as his mum giggled and smiled shyly at Nyx. “I’ve not been called that in a while. Please, my title is only for publicity purposes. Do call me Soliamare.”

“As you wish.”

This simple response seemed to set his mother off even more, and Prompto could see her blushing. “Can you stay for hot tea, maybe?” he tried, hoping Nyx wouldn’t have to leave so soon.

Prompto hoped it wasn’t obvious that he and his mum didn’t have regular visitors to their small abode. Things were clean, but it was clearly set up for the two of them. Nyx was gracious enough to stick around for another fifteen minutes to sip at his tea. The young prince watched as his mum regaled the soldier with tales about his childhood. It was so embarrassing, but he opted to sit quietly and let his mum have her fun. She didn’t have many people to talk to these days. 

Nyx made a polite exit when the time came and even kissed his mum on her hand when he left. Prompto was going to hear about that for weeks. He couldn’t wait to text Noct and tell him! The soldier wished them both well and was gone a minute later. 

The overwhelming feeling of hopelessness came crashing down on the blond without warning. He’d taken Nyx’s cup to the sink and was washing it when he started crying. His mother was by his side a second later. 

“Sweetheart, it’s alright. I know you were frightened out there alone. You’re safe again here with me,” she crooned, stroking his back. 

How could she not see that coming back home had been the upsetting thing - not leaving! “Muumm, no, I’m upset because I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to go back to Lucis. Everyone treated me like a real person!” he huffed through his tears. 

“Oh, I know it’s the stress talking, dear. Have a lie down. It will be alright when you wake up.”

Sighing heavily, Prompto shook his head. “You don’t understand. This place is horrible. Why can’t we leave and go away together?” he asked, perplexed as he wiped his tears away. 

This time, she had no immediate response. Instead, she looked out the kitchen window and sighed. “I do struggle myself with others. Your step father was the only man I’d ever met that made me feel truly loved and appreciated. Now that he’s gone, I’m afraid I’ve grown uncomfortable in the real world. I just need more time.” 

“It’s been almost three years, mum. Please let me take care of us. We can move away together, and you won’t have to talk to people if you don’t want to, but we will be away from all this mess.” He motioned with his hands.

“I’ll think about it, dear. For now you should rest, though. I’m sure your trip was exhausting.” 

Prompto usually gave up at this point in the conversation. His mum would always say she wanted to move forward but could never manage to take the next step. Now she was trying to change topics to get out of talking about the subject. However, he was unwilling to let it go this time. “Mum, I’m serious. I will figure out how to get us out of here. I snuck out. I can do it again but I’ll take you with me this time,” he enthused.

His mother slowly shook her head. “You know full well that if we don’t make an announcement, the general public will turn against your step-brothers. I cannot have that on my conscience. If we are to leave, then we must figure out a proper way. I won’t run away,” she finished with a pointed stare. 

“They are terrible! Why do you still treat them with such respect? They don’t deserve it!”

“Even in death, I wish to do my husband, the king, proud. I know he would expect me to act civilly towards others despite their personalities. He was a kind-hearted man, and that was one of the traits I admired in him. Do you disagree with this ideology?” She asked.

Prompto frowned; he knew there was no point in continuing. His mother was right. It wouldn’t do to treat others poorly. “I think step-father was right to treat all with respect,” he uttered weakly. 

“This discussion is over for now,” she said softly. “Please try and get some rest, sweetheart.” 

Nodding his head in defeat, he wandered off down the hall to his room. He was tired and taking a nap sounded good. Digging out his phone, he quickly texted Noct to let him know he was home and to thank him for a fun time. He almost started crying when he realized he would never see Noct again. Clinging to the notion that their long distance friendship would be enough to sustain him, he collapsed on his bed and passed out. 

* * *

Ignis peered at his phone when it pinged. The message notification was from Nyx, and the preview text indicated he’d been successful in his mission. A small weight felt lifted; the prince of Niflheim had made it home safely. He waited until his meeting was over to review the entire message. Nyx wanted to speak with him in private. 

Suddenly, feelings of worry crept back into his gut. He replied indicting they could meet later that afternoon. 

Noct sidled up to him a moment later with a ghost of a smile. “Did you get a text? I just did, he’s home.” 

“Yes, Nyx alerted me to that fact. I’m thankful Prompto thought to text you as well.” 

“I can’t wait for him to visit again. Promise me you’ll work your magic and get him to come back,” Noct whined. 

“Highness, I’ll try my best, but I’m afraid Niflheim has different rules regarding omegas than we do.” 

Noct made a face and slumped his shoulders. “Figures, I finally make a friend, and I can’t hang out with him again.”

“Now, now, I didn’t say that. Allow me some time to research the subject properly. If there is a way, I will find it. Otherwise, we can always arrange for another private visit.” 

Noct seemed surprised by his last comment. “You’d do that for me? I know you hate going against the rules.”

Ignis smiled and nodded. “Try to think of it as me doing it for you both.” 

The prince rolled his eyes and started walking away. Ignis followed as they both were needed at another meeting. The young prince had gotten a lot better at performing his royal duties over the years. He was nineteen and could be crowned king anytime his father wished to step down. Regis didn’t appear to be showing signs of slowing down, and Noct seemed fine waiting. He wasn’t eager to be in the hot seat just yet. 

Ignis had a hard time concentrating during the next meeting. His mind was wandering, thinking of what Nyx could possibly desire to talk with him about in private. The advisor nearly raced to his office afterwards. Nyx was leaning against his ornate wooden door with an unreadable expression. 

“I trust everything is in order?” Ignis asked as they entered the space and sat down. 

“Of course. He’s been delivered back home, no problem.” Nyx answered. 

“You do have concerns about something, I can tell.” The thought seemed upsetting, but he knew Nyx had asked for a meeting because something was on his mind.

Nyx sighed and rubbed the back of neck. “Have you ever been to Niflheim?”

“Once on a trip years ago, but we didn’t make it to the capital. Why?”

“Just wanted to know the knowledge level I’m dealing with. I’ll try and be descriptive,” Nyx offered. “I followed Prompto after we landed, and he took me on a little field trip to his house.”

“House?” Ignis questioned quickly. “I was under the impression he lived in the main government compound in the royal apartments.” 

“Huh, yeah, so the royal apartments aren’t what you think.” Ignis stayed silent and let Nyx continue. “They are a collection of concrete structures behind the main parliament building. One is ornate, and I suspect the king lives there. The others are concrete cheese boxes with windows. I mean, the man had thirteen sons, so living arrangements must be hell, but it was really weird-looking,” Nyx finished, shaking his head. 

“Are you concerned his housing is inadequate?” Ignis asked worriedly. 

“No, his house is nice and seemed sound when I went in.”

“You went inside?”

Nyx nodded. “Yup, his mom made me tea.” 

“Ulric.” Ignis breathed. “I don’t send you on these types of missions to drink tea with queens.”

The soldier laughed. “No worries, Ignis, I was invited. I behaved myself. She seemed very sweet and clearly cared about Prompto. That much was obvious.”

“I still feel as though you’re holding your tongue,” Ignis admitted. 

Nyx frowned. “It’s not that anything else happened, Ignis. It’s more of a bad gut feeling that I can’t shake. He had a key to this decrepit shed near the airfield. I had to wait for him to change back into his royal attire that he’d left ther crumpled in a bag. He’s got no one to help him; his mother is the only person that seems to care. I almost didn’t stay for that tea Ignis. I didn’t think I would be able to bare the look of despair he’d give me when I left.”

“I see, how did he act when you did leave?” Ignis asked. “Did he give you the aforementioned look?” 

“Oh, yeah. Frankly, I’m concerned for his mental health if he stays there. Our kingdoms are on friendly terms, and we have been for nearly a century. The fact that he has to literally sneak out of his little concrete house and stow away to leave is alarming.” 

“Hmm, I do see your point.” Ignis sighed. It was most disconcerting to hear Nyx’s report. “I thank you for your candor. I will think on these things. Is there anything else you wish to add?”

“Nuthn’ but my opinion -- ‘don’t leave him there to rot’ is all I’m gonna say.” 

“I trust you will be willing to help should I need you in the future?” Ignis asked coolly.

“Always at your service, Ignis,” Nyx offered as he stood up.

“Very well, then. Do keep me updated should you hear anything odd.” 

“Regarding Prompto or Niflheim in general?” Nyx asked.

“Both, though I don’t think Niflheim is up to anything. King Alban doesn’t have the brains for it. It was the one thing he didn’t inherit from his father, unfortunately.”

“Ouch, but I’ll keep an ear open,” Nyx said as he turned and left. 

Sitting back in the plushy guest chair, Ignis looked out the window. The glittering view of the Insomnian skyline was breathtaking. He wondered what Prompto could see out of his window. Without thinking, he reached for his phone and sent a text.

**Ignis Scientia 6:38PM:** _I heard from Nyx that you had arrived home safely. Did you have any additional issues upon your return?_

He clutched the phone willing it to ping in his hand. Unable to explain why the desire for a response was so overwhelming, he eventually got up and went to his desk to wrap up for the day.

* * *

Gladio held his phone at arm’s length and snapped a picture. Checking the device revealed his smiling face and one tattooed arm. He quickly sent the photo to Sana and then waited for a reply. She called two minutes later.

“Hiya, babe! Did you like my picture?”

“When do I not?” Sana replied with a giggle. “I wish you could send me more.”

“More photos or more of me in the photo?” Gladio asked. 

Sana laughed brightly. “More of you or certain parts of you,” she corrected.

Gladio could feel his dick twitch at the thought. “I will say it’s not entirely fair if you were to be able to see me and I couldn’t see you.” 

“Just a few more months, sweetheart, and then we can be open about it.”

Grunting Gladio could only wait. Two months was not a long time, but right now it seemed like an eternity. “Hey, I wanted to ask you something.” 

“Hmmm.” 

“Are you afraid to go out of your room alone?” 

“What an odd question. Uh – no, but everyone knows me, so I don’t worry. Maybe if I was out in the city I would be a little nervous. Why?”

“You remember me telling you about Prince Prompto? Well, he left today to go home, and Nyx escorted him. I was under the impression that everything was fine, but Iggy called me a little while ago and filled me on what his living conditions are like. Apparently, Nyx told him it felt off, maybe even unsafe. Which got me thinking about you – I want you to be safe.” Gladio paused and took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to get hurt because we’re apart.” 

“Awww, my dear sweet lovely alpha, I’m safe. Don’t forget my family is here with me and they watch out for me, too. I promise to be extra mindful these next two months, and then we will finally be together.” 

“You’re my omega and I worry.” Gladio added with concern. “I know I can’t do anything about it right now, but it still tears me up.” 

“Focus on how wonderful life will be when I can come live with you, dear. We will have so much fun. Is Noct still excited?”

“I think so; you know how he is -- mister unemotional. It’s hard to tell sometimes.”

“I’m sure he’s fine. Don’t stress about that. He would have said something a long time ago if he wasn’t comfortable with you dating.” 

“Sana, babe, we are well past dating. I claimed you already,” he huffed. 

A long content sigh was all he heard on the other line. “Oh, it was amazing. I can’t wait until we are able to make it official.”

That at least made him smile. “Sorry to bother you so late, by the way. I really wanted to hear your voice.”

“Don’t ever not bother me. I sustain myself on your attention. Now, back to Prompto. Do you think Ignis will do anything?”

After thinking for a moment, Gladio finally responded. “I’m not sure to be honest. He was acting different during his whole time here.”

“Did you question him about it?”

“Yeah, and he didn’t have an answer. I could tell he was trying to rationalize his thoughts, but he could never come up with anything.” 

Sana gasped suddenly. “Oh!”

“Whaaaat?” Gladio asked incredulously.

“He likes him. Like -- like, likes him. Maybe Prompto imprinted on him or something, and he hasn’t realized it yet.” 

“Nahhhh, that’s silly,” Gladio spit out, but then as sat and digested the statement, he realized it would fit Ignis’ behavior. “Astrals! You think something like that could still happen?” 

“I know all the suppressants and blockers available today make it harder and harder. However, there are still cases being documented of imprinting. They are really rare, but it happens.”

“Huh – I’m surprised he hasn’t thought of it yet. This is Iggy we are talking about. He’s always prepared. He should have already anticipated this and done copious amounts of research on the topic.”

Sana laughed. “I want a full report on his reaction when you tell him.”

“Oh, believe me, you’ll get it.” Gladio chuckled. He heard the tell tale signs of a stifled yawn on the other line. “Hey, you need to get some rest, babe. I’ll call you tomorrow with more info on mission imprint.”

It took several minutes of back and forth endearments before Gladio could end the call, but he was satisfied that his omega was safe and sound. Now to get to the bottom of Ignis’s odd behavior. 


	5. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to get interesting as Ignis realizes his connection to Prompto maybe something unique.

“You think I’ve what?!” Ignis sputtered over his morning coffee. “That is preposterous. How on earth did you come up with that, Gladio?” He asked leaning forward over his neat but cluttered desk. 

The shield smiled. “Sana and I were chatting last night, and she mentioned that Prompto may have imprinted on you.” 

Ignis was still in shock by the very idea. He hadn’t heard of an omega imprinting on anyone in years. “That sounds barbaric,” he uttered finally as he retrieved his phone to open his calendar.

“Clearing your schedule so you can research imprinting, are we?” Gladio asked with a smirk. 

Huffing, Ignis rolled his eyes at the shields antics. “You already know the answer: I must know what I’m dealing with so I can better prepare.”

Gladio furrowed his brow. “Um, what exactly would you be preparing for?”

“If I knew that, Gladiolus, then I wouldn’t need to research, now would I?” Ignis answered curtly. 

The shield smiled. “Will you at least admit you acted differently around Prompto when he was here?”

Pausing and thinking on Gladio’s statement, Ignis did know he’d taken more care than normal in dealing the omega. “Yes, I will concede that I have been somewhat affected by Prompto’s visit. If my research proves Sana’s theory correct then I will . . . .” Ignis trailed off.

“Uh – you will what?”

“I will go rescue him from the frozen hell that is Niflheim and share my closet! Gladio, I don’t know! Go away, I need to work, and you’re filling my head with ideas of domestic bliss.” Ignis huffed.

This statement elicited a bark of laughter from the shield as he stood to leave. “Fine, I’ll leave you to it, but will you at least let me know what you find out? Honestly, I’m sorta jealous you get to experience this and not me.”

“Come now, Gladio. You and Sana are made for each other. I know you had a rocky start, but she loves you dearly. She’ll even be moving here in a couple months. That’s more than I can say for my nonexistent pack.” 

“The invite still stands if you want into ours. Sana thinks you’re cute.” 

“I have considered the idea, but I think your pack has the perfect dynamic right now.” Ignis smiled. “Now get out of my office.” He made a shooing motion in Gladio’s direction in hopes he’d leave. 

As he watched Gladio go, Ignis felt a funny feeling tumble through his stomach. Was he actually getting butterflies thinking about Prompto? He promptly postponed his next meeting and hunkered down at his computer to find out. 

  


* * *

  


“Noct!!” Prompto whined over the phone. “What am I going to do? I’ve ruined everything.”

“You haven’t ruined anything, Prompto. Stop freaking out. I swear to you, Ignis isn’t upset. You can still send a reply, and he won’t mind the delay. I promise,” Noct tried. 

“But it’s been two weeks since he sent it! I was too scared to reply. How dumb is that? He asks if I’m okay, and if I had any trouble, and I ignore him.”

“I’ve known him most of my life, Prompto, and I’m telling you it’s fine. Send him a text back. He’ll answer you. What’s the worst that can happen?”

The blond couldn’t help himself as he blurted an answer. “He bans you from having contact with me, and I die lonely and depressed.” Prompto couldn’t help but be dramatic. It’d been two whole weeks since his return from Lucis, and he was missing it every day. It would absolutely gut him to not be able to talk to Noct. Having a friend helped ease the sorrow of everyday life. 

“I’m going to have him call you if you’re not careful, buddy.”

“Wha – No! I’ll text – I promise, don’t have him call me. I’ll die for sure if he calls me,” he stammered. 

“I expect a full report later on what he wrote back.” 

Prompto sighed. “Now you are being silly. He won’t answer me.” He could hear Noct huff. It wasn’t like he understood what life was like as a male omega. Nothing went your way.

“I’ll remain optimistic for you, then. Hey, I gotta go; I need to attend some super stuffy council meeting. Can I call you later when I finish?”

“Yeah, for sure. I’m not going anywhere.” The call ended as they both said their goodbyes. Now to the matter at hand. What to write back to Ignis?

Opting to keep it simple Prompto, opened his messenger app to type out a reply. Glancing at the unanswered message from Ignis he winced. Why did he wait so long! The advisor had only wished to know if he had arrived safely. 

**Prompto Argentum 10:18AM:** _ Thank you for checking in on me and I am safe. _

Before he could chicken out, he hit the send button. Tossing the phone further away, he curled up on his bed and groaned. Why was this so difficult? It was conversation, pure and simple. A pinging noise made him bolt upright and stare incredulously at his phone. There was no way Ignis had texted him back. It must have been from Noct. 

Reaching out slowly as if his phone might bite him, he flipped it over. A response from  _ the  _ Ignis Scientia was waiting. Prompto’s brain took this moment to spring into action. What if he was writing back to tell him he was not allowed to talk to Noct anymore? Fearful of what the text might say, he didn’t open it for another ten minutes. 

Finally, though, latching onto Noct’s previous words of encouragement, he took a deep breath and opened the message.

**Ignis Scientia 10:20AM:** _ Excellent. I’m very happy to hear you are safe. Do let me know if you need anything in the future.  _

Prompto looked at his phone with wide eyes. Okay, he’d written back and left it open ended. Now what? Should he reply? He wished Noct was available so he could ask what to do. Was Ignis simply being polite or was he supposed to say something? 

Shoving his phone away a second time, he got up and started pacing his room. A full thirty minutes later, he made the decision to answer back. 

**Prompto Argentum 10:50AM:** _Thanks I will. I hope your day is going well._

Again, he hit send quickly and waited. He knew his chances of having Ignis reply right away were slim, but he still held out hope. Apparently the astrals were being kind and granted his wish.

**Ignis Scientia 10:53AM:** _Aside from sitting in a dreadfully boring meeting at the moment, my day has been splendid._

Prompto knew from Noct that Ignis usually attended the same meetings as the prince. Did this mean that Ignis was texting him while he was working? Did the meeting end early? Curiosity got the better of him, and he texted his friend. 

**Prompto Argentum 10:55AM:** _Are you still in your meeting?_

**Noctis Lucis Caelum 10:57AM:** _Yes, can’t talk yet. :(_

Did this mean Ignis was in a different meeting, or was he actually trying to communicate while he was working? Worried his texting would get Ignis in trouble, he wrote back a reply.

**Prompto Argentum 11:04AM:** _Did your meeting get out yet?_

**Ignis Scientia 11:06AM:** _ I’m afraid it’s still droning on. I do have an amusing view; Noctis is struggling to stay awake. I would send you a photo, but it would blow my cover. _

Prompto squealed out loud when he read the response. Ignis was at the same meeting, but he could text him and Noctis couldn’t! The blond wondered if it had anything to do with him being an alpha. He would have to ask Noct about it later. 

**Prompto Argentum 11:07AM:** _lol I wish I could be there to see it in person. _

Surprisingly, Ignis texted him a few more times, and then things went silent. Either Ignis got in trouble or he needed to focus. Prompto hoped it was the latter. Ignis was so nice, and he didn’t want him to get reprimanded for texting a lowly omega.

The blond was about to text Noct when heard his mother call him. Wandering down the hall, he found her staring at a fancy invitation card. 

“Dear, do you know who Lady Pravus is?” she asked curiously.

The memories of Noct’s story regarding Lady Pravus, from the night of the banquet, came flooding back. “Yeah – why?” he mumbled. 

His mother seemed shocked that he knew of her. “I’ve never met her nor heard of her until now. How do you know her name?”

“When I stayed with Noct, he told me about her. She’s not very nice,” he added quickly. 

“Oh, well, you don’t know that for sure,” she chided. “I’m sure she’s fine. Your step brothers aren’t that bad when it comes to judgement of character.”

This really confused Prompto. “Mum, what are you talking about?” 

“Oh, sorry, I’ve just received this invitation to attend a dinner in celebration of the upcoming engagement for Alban.”

Prompto interrupted his mother, “Alban is going to marry that icky lady?! Oh no, that’s not good.”

“Prompto! That is no way to behave when you haven’t even met her.”

“No, believe me, mum. Noct told me stories about her, and she’s a really terrible person. Alban shouldn’t marry her. Bad things will happen,” he urged. “Please believe me.”

She sighed but maintained a knowing look. “I will wait to meet her before I pass judgement. You will have a chance as well, as you’ve been invited to come along.” Soliamare smiled. “A fancy dress party, how lovely. I do miss going out and getting dressed up.” 

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His mum was seriously excited about this evil lady coming to visit. “When is the dinner?”

“Tomorrow evening. I must make sure my dress still fits. It’s been so long since I’ve had occasion to wear it.” 

Prompto watched his mum turn and happily go to her room to check her closet. Astrals, this was bad. He had to talk to Noct. 

* * *

  


“Specs we have a problem!” Noct hissed as he shoved Ignis into a comfy armchair. “Remember that horrible woman, Saeva Pravus?”

Ignis visibly grimaced at the mention of her name. “If she is harassing you in some manner, I shall put a stop to it immediately.”

“No, its worse!” He huffed plopping down on the couch opposite his advisor. “I spoke with Prompto an hour ago and snaky is trying to marry his stepbrother!”

“Firstly, Noctis I would advise you to refrain from getting in the habit of using nicknames like that. You may accidentally let it slip in public. Secondly, which brother?”

“You have to ask? Alban of course, she wants to be queen.” 

“Tell me everything you know,” Ignis requested with a look of determination.

Noct spent the next ten minutes outlining what Prompto had told him. The prince could see Ignis working through all the details as he went along. Finally, when he’d finished, he waited to hear what his advisor had to say.

“I dare say that is bad news indeed. You mentioned the dinner was planned for tomorrow evening, correct?”

“Yeah, what are we going to do?”

“Hmmfff, I don’t know that we can do anything at this point, Noct, aside from gather information.” Ignis stood abruptly and pulled out his phone. “I must go and think on this further. Call me immediately if you hear any additional information.” 

“Hey! What should I tell Prompto? He’s not sure what to do.”

“Tell him to be very careful, and under no circumstances should he be alone with her. Do you understand?”

Noct nodded and watched his advisor turn to leave the suite. He thought back to one of the first times he’d met Lady Pravus. She’d cornered him several years ago at a party. He shuddered to think what would have happened if Ignis hadn’t saved him. He didn’t know about her methods for entrapping people then. He’d been too young. 

Apparently, she would make a rather forceful advance in private. Then, depending on what she wanted, she would threaten to accuse her target of sexual misconduct. Heaven help you if you tried to shove her away - that would turn into one hell of a scandal. 

He grabbed his phone to call Prompto. The prince wanted to warn him about her tactics. He didn’t care what happened to King Alban so much, but Prompto didn’t deserve that. 

* * *

  
  


Prompto fidgeted with his cuff as his mother and he walked over to the party. The main government building didn’t have fancy dining facilities, so most events took place at the great hall inside King Alban’s residence. He was beyond nervous, especially after what Noct had told him regarding Lady Saeva. His plan was to stay glued to his mother’s side for the whole event. That way he would be safe. 

He wasn’t even sure why he’d been invited; no one really cared if he was there or not. Then Prompto realized the truth: if he wasn’t there to escort his mother, then one of his icky step-brothers would have to do it. The real reason behind his presence made his chest ache; his mother didn’t deserve such disrespect. 

He’d already tried to persuade his mother to bail, but she was adamant about attending. Prompto knew if he outright refused that she would go alone. He couldn’t do that to his mother. 

The party was in full swing when they arrived, and Prompto could tell some of his step-brothers had started drinking early. Great, this was going to be interesting. Thank the astrals he didn’t have to sit anywhere near them during dinner. He was even spared having to look at Lady Saeva. She was seated on the same side as Prompto but at the opposite end of the long table. This didn’t stop his mother from craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the woman that seemed to have stolen Alban’s heart. 

Alban stood up at one point to make a boring toast. He was a terrible speech writer, and Prompto didn’t understand why he never asked for help. Could someone be so proud that they’d rather look stupid? It was so strange. 

Feeling a light pinch to his arm, the blond looked over to his mother. She had that look - the one that was silently chastising him for ignoring the king. Attempting to smile, he focused on looking cheerful. Alban stopped rambling shortly after, and Prompto bumped his mother’s arm. “The dinners over. Can we go now?” he whispered.

“No!” she exclaimed. “I wish to meet Lady Saeva.” 

Groaning, Prompto frowned. “Why, I’ve already told you about her.” 

“We’ve been over this already, dear.” Soliamare sighed. “Don’t test me.”

“Fine,” he huffed. Prompto reluctantly got up and followed his mother as she sought out the future queen. He had to give his mum credit; she did know how to part a crowd. Trailing in her wake, they were eventually standing in front of Lady Saeva. She was stunning in person, but Prompto was still scared to even talk to her. 

She turned and smiled demurely to his mother. A useless conversation about dinner followed. Prompto watched in near disbelief as Lady Saeva laid on the charm so thick it was almost suffocating. His mother fell for it hook, line, and sinker. He assumed she would ignore him as everyone else did. However, she finally turned her attention to him. 

The blond could have sworn he saw Lady Saeva’s lip curl ever so slightly. It was at this terrible moment that he realized Noct forgot to mention one very important fact: Lady Saeva was an alpha. 

Shit.

He could see her nostrils flaring minutely; she was working to identify his dynamic. Figures Alban wouldn’t have given her any information before the party. Instead of approaching him to shake his hand, she kept her distance. It was as if she’d been expecting something else entirely. Lady Saeva was uneasy about something, and Prompto couldn’t figure it out. 

Turning towards his mother, Lady Saeva spoke finally. “Oh my, I do need to say goodbye to my friends before they leave,” she announced. “Do forgive me. I’ll find you later and we can finish our talk.” The whole interaction reeked of insincerity. 

Trying to calm his nerves was hard as Prompto waited for her to get out of earshot. “Mum, can we go please?” he pleaded in a hushed tone. 

“What? No, I must stay. She wants to talk with me again,” she breathed excitedly. “Won’t it be nice to have another female around? I am terribly outnumbered these days.”

Prompto bit his lip. He really wanted to grab his mother by her shoulders and tell her that Lady Saeva was lying. She had found an excuse to leave and took it. There was no intent to come back. 

“I must go freshen up while she’s busy. I’ll be right back,” Soliamare announced. 

There was no time to even protest as his mother took off for the powder room. Suddenly, Prompto felt very anxious. He didn’t want to be here in the first place, and now he was alone. The idea came to him to hide in the ballroom across the hall. It wasn’t in use for the party, so he could rest in peace. 

Scurrying to the corner of the room, he quietly slipped out the door and into the empty space. Finally, he could breathe. It was dark, but he could still see well enough with the moonlight filtering in through the large windows. 

The sound of a door creaking open caused Prompto to turn in a panic. There in the soft light was Lady Saeva. 

“I thought I saw you slip in here,” she crooned. “Come here so I can get a better look at you,  _ omega _ ,” she ordered. 

Prompto remained frozen in place. He didn’t want to go near her, and no manner of influenced alpha speech was going to make him. 

“Oh, you’re going to fight me. I suppose then I’ll have to come to you.”

Finding that his throat had gone dry, Prompto watched her slowly saunter over. The future queen didn’t stop until she was a few inches from his face. 

“I can’t have you disobeying me, omega. That simply won’t do. When I order you to do something, I expect you to act. Is that understood?”

Surprisingly, Prompto’s brain managed a nonverbal response despite his frozen vocal cords. A small shake of his head shook his blond locks. 

“Oh, a rebel. How cute,” she breathed. “It doesn’t matter. I will break you, omega, and I will enjoy every second. Perhaps I’ll start right now,” she mused. 

Prompto heard the rustle of fabric, and then something pointy was being held to his stomach. He was too scared to look down, but he was pretty sure it was a knife. 

“Now hold still while I see what you taste like,” she hissed as she leaned forward to sniff his neck. 

A small strangled noise left his mouth, but he didn’t dare push her away. She could easily stab him in his gut and claim he’d been the one to make an advance. Then a door slammed, and Lady Saeva backed away immediately, hiding her knife once more. 

She turned to face whoever had come in. “Who’s there?” she demanded. 

Prompto didn’t wait to find out and bolted. He couldn’t hear anything aside from his beating heart as he rushed out of the room. If Lady Saeva called after him, he didn’t hear it. He needed to go, but he had to find his mother first. 

Soliamare was waiting just outside the main dining room, looking for Lady Saeva no doubt. “Oh, there you are,” she said cheerfully as he approached. However, when Prompto was closer, she furrowed her brow in concern. “Dear heart, what has happened to you? You’re shaking and have gone pale as a ghost.” 

“I –I don’t feel good, mum, can we please go home? I might throw up,” he added, hoping it would make her act. Luckily, it did, and within minutes he was tightly gripping his mother’s arm and walking back home. He had so much to tell Noct, but what could his friend do to help? He was a kingdom away and had his own duties to handle. 

Maybe he could lock himself in his room until this was all over, though he suspected his mother wouldn’t allow it. His mother ended up making him tea and sitting with him on the couch. He felt safe right then, but he was terribly concerned it wouldn’t last. He hadn’t breathed a word of what had happened, but he worried his mum wouldn’t believe him anyway. Instead, he tried to calm down and eventually drifted off clinging to her.

  


* * *

“He’s an omega! Why wasn’t I informed?” Saeva hissed as she paced Alban’s sitting room. “I refuse to marry you with him in residence.”

“Why? He’s harmless,” Alban defended. “What are you afraid of?”

“That blond haired brat could bear a child and threaten your claim to the throne! I won’t allow that to happen.” 

“What, Prompto have kids? Nah, he’s not even got a mate.”

Saeva looked offended. “Astrals, that’s worse. He could produce bastard children left and right. Do you want an omegan whore associated with your family name? I would think not. You must deal with this.”

“How exactly should I ‘deal’ with it?” he huffed. “If I sent him away would that make you happy?”

“He’d still be out there, and he could come back anytime to threaten your title.” 

“He’s thirteenth in line, Saeva. Even if he had kids, they wouldn’t ever be near the throne!” 

“That’s not true! If none of your other idiotic brothers wed and we don’t conceive, then one of his offspring could inherit. That is unacceptable. I will not let your royal name be sullied by his likes.”

“I still don’t know what you want me to do about it.” Alban frowned. “What’s left? Death? Don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?” 

Saeva narrowed her eyes at Alban. “I won’t marry you unless he’s gone . . . unless you’re too much of a coward to deal with that sort of thing,” she replied innocently.

“I’m no coward,” Alban shouted. “I’ll figure something out.”

“Good. Now, I’ve got a splitting headache, and I wish to retire early. Lunch tomorrow, love?” She smiled sweetly. 

Alban grinned and bowed as she left. Now to figure out what to do about Prompto.

  


* * *

  


“Are you certain he didn’t see you?” Ignis asked for a second time. 

“Yes, positive. No one saw me; I’m trained to not be seen,” Nyx replied as he leaned forward in his chair.

Ignis sat at his desk in deep thought. Nyx’s report had been very disturbing; Lady Saeva had made an open threat against Prompto. He had to work fast. Things were in motion that he had little control over. “She said that she’d break him?”

“Yeah, it was grade A creepy shit, Ignis. I had to work hard not to warp over and stick her with my dagger.” 

“I would have found a way to make it work,” Ignis pondered quietly. 

“I wasn’t sure what was going to happen after I slammed the door, but blondie took the cue and ran away like greased lightning. I made sure to follow him and the queen back home. They made it safely.” 

“Nyx, I am eternally grateful for your help in this matter, and I fear what Lady Saeva’s next step might be. We may need to act in a slightly unorthodox method to combat her,” Ignis admitted.

“I’m all for unorthodox; sign me up.” Nyx grinned. 


	6. Trapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto tries to figure out how he can get away from the new threat that is Lady Saeva Pravus.

A faint buzzing noise drifted in and out of Noct’s dream. His brain finally latched onto what it meant and woke him up. His phone was vibrating with an incoming call, and it was three in the morning. A quick glance indicated it was Prompto, and Noct scrambled to pick up the phone.

“Hey! Are you alright? What happened? I’ve been trying to call you all night,” the prince admitted.

“Um – I might have to hide in my room for the rest of my life,” Prompto admitted in a small voice. 

“What the hell happened?” he asked, concerned.

“That lady, um – Saeva. She tried to get me.”

“What do you mean get you? Are you hurt?” Noct asked, sitting upright in his bed with alarm.

“She cornered me, and she had a knife.”

“I’m waking Ignis up, and we are coming to get you right now!” 

“I can’t leave my mum, Noct. She doesn’t think anything’s wrong.”

“Did you tell her snaky threatened your fucking life?!” Noct yelled into the phone. “That’s gotta mean something.”

“Hey, calm down, buddy. I can’t tell her. She wouldn’t believe me, anyway,” Prompto lamented. “I can hide at home for a little while, but I’ll have to eventually leave the house. I don’t know what to do!”

“So what do we need to do to get your mother to leave?”

“I don’t know that either!” he wailed. 

“It’s okay, we are going to figure this out. I gotta talk to Ignis, though, and see what he can do. We need to get you outta there, like, yesterday.”

Noct listened as Prompto recounted his whole ordeal. It sounded terrible, and thank the six something had distracted her when they were alone together. It took some convincing, but Noct finally agreed to not come and get him right then and there. The omega wasn’t going to leave his mother, so Noct needed to figure that out first. Unfortunately, he had no time if this nasty woman was after him. 

After forty minutes, Noct could barely stay awake, and Prompto kept yawning. He made the omega promise to call him when he woke up the next morning. He needed to be sure his friend was safe. 

Sleep was fitful at best, but morning finally came, and Noct exchanged text messages with Prompto. He was still in his room with the door locked. Good. He was safe for the day, hopefully. Now to get Ignis updated and on the case. 

* * *

“Are you sure he’s up for the task, dearest? I mean he’s not exactly – bright,” Saeva pondered in a hushed tone from behind a large column. 

“I’m telling you he’s perfect. Besides, I can’t really ask Alban, now can I?” Otho frowned. He really was desperate to make the dark-haired woman happy. She’d unexpectedly visited Otho last night, and he was still feeling the effects of their activities. A very small part of his brain recognized his actions as a betrayal to his older brother Alban. However, this opportunity was too good to pass up. 

Saeva had begged his help in a certain matter regarding his omegan step brother Prompto. Turns out the little stinker was trying to work his way to the top of the line. Otho rarely spoke with Prompto, but according to Saeva he was plotting something nasty. 

Apparently, Prompto’s whole painfully shy routine was a façade. Saeva recounted how the blond had cornered her at the banquet and threatened her life. The little bastard wanted her to leave and drop the engagement. 

Saeva had stopped several times during the retelling of the incident to cry. Otho had made sure he was nearby to provide a shoulder to cry on. The most shocking part of the story was Alban’s reaction. His older brother had supposedly dismissed the whole thing and claimed she was drunk. Then, to add insult to injury, he’d tried to force himself on her, but Saeva had managed to get away. It was amazing that even as a rare alpha female, she still had trouble with this sort of thing.

This beautifully delicate woman was in fear for her life, and Otho was determined to save her. Otho had consoled her most of the night, offering to help in any way he could. Saeva had tearfully admitted the only way she would feel truly safe was if both Prompto and Alban were gone. Without hesitation, Otho had pledged his assistance. He had to save her. His first task was to get Prompto out of the way; the wiry blond seemed like an easy target. Alban was another matter.

Currently, they were both hiding behind a column waiting for Amet, one of his other brothers. Otho knew he would be a perfect match for the job he had in mind. As Saeva had so pointedly noticed, Amet wasn’t the brightest. However, his lack of basic life skills was essential if he got caught. Amet would most likely forget all important details pertaining to his given task. 

“Wait here, dove. I’ll be right back.” Otho offered as he slipped out to speak with Amet. Saeva nodded and stayed out of sight. 

Sauntering over, Otho greeted his brother. “Amet, I appreciate you meeting me away from the palace.”

“Anytime, brother. You seemed stressed over the phone.”

“Oh, very. Some information has come to light that indicates Alban’s life may be in danger.”

Amet blinked stupidly for a few seconds before he could answer. “How?”

“This will sound crazy, but it appears our step-brother may be plotting against us all.”

“Who?” he asked with an equally dazed expression.

Sighing through his nose, Otho worked to control his temper. Dealing with Amet came with certain challenges. “Our step brother, the omega,” he tried again, unwilling to actually say Prompto’s name.

“Huh, which one?” 

Otho was working hard to not yell. “Not our half-brothers, Amet. Our step-brother.”

“Oh right, Cirus. He seemed fine when I saw him yeste--.”

“Prompto!” Otho hissed, cutting his younger brother off. “Our fucking step-brother, you nitwit!”

“Oh, right, that one. I get them all confused. Do you need me to deliver a message or something?” Amet asked innocently. 

“What do you mean that one?” Otho sputtered. “We only have the one step-brother! Astrals, never mind. I need you to hire someone to make him leave the city.”

“Cirus?”

“No.” Otho growled, “Prompto.” 

“Oh, yeah. Right, the omega.” 

“Yes. Now can you handle that?”

“Yeah, for sure. I can deliver a message to Cirus, no problem.” Amet smiled.

“No. Not Cirus. Please forget you ever mentioned his name.” 

“Of course, brother. Now what did you want again?”

Otho balled his fits up and took a deep breath. He tried to control his scent. The last thing he needed was to set off Amet’s alpha rage inadvertently. “I need you to hire someone to make Prompto leave the city.” 

“Who?”

“Preferably someone that knows how to use force.”

“Right, that makes sense. You know I could do it myself. I work out.” Amet beamed as he flexed his right arm.

“I know you do, but hire someone. I need Prompto to be gone by the end of the week.”

“Consider it done, I’ll make Cir — I mean Prompto — leave right away.”

“Good. Be sure to use the private account if you need to pay the person you hire.”

“Uh, how do I find this person, anyway - the one I need to hire?” Amet questioned with a furrowed brow. 

“Go to the shitty part of town with some cash and start asking people to help you get rid of someone. They’ll want a name and money.”

“Huh – that easy, eh. Great, I’ll go get some money now. Do you want to do dinner later?” Amet asked eagerly.

“Forgive me, brother, but I’m otherwise engaged. Perhaps another time,” Otho offered as he backed away. Amet waved goodbye and smiled as he turned to leave the empty corridor. Phase one had been set in motion. Otho knew Amet would draw far too much attention during his mission, and once things were said and done, he’d probably go to prison for his role. However, that would mean there was one less person to threaten his claim to the throne. 

Saeva was still waiting for him behind the column. “Dear heart, I must go run an errand. Will you be free for dinner?”

“Where are you going? What if Alban sees you?”

“I’ll be alright; this is something I must attend to privately. Women’s matters. You understand, don’t you?” She crooned. 

“Of course, dove. I’ll be waiting.” Otho smiled. He watched as his dark-haired beauty quietly slipped away into the shadows. Things had been set in motion. Now he just had to sit back and wait. 

  


* * *

Ignis had been on edge all morning. The prince had actually called him before Ignis had left his apartment. 

That never happened.

Ever.

Noct had been in a panic about Lady Saeva and how she was out to get Prompto. The advisor listened dutifully and tried to calm his charge, but Noct was truly fearful over what might happen if they didn’t intervene.

Thankfully, Ignis had enough foresight to send Nyx back to keep tabs on Saeva and Prince Prompto. His nervousness at the moment stemmed from not having received a check in from Nyx. The soldier had arrived in Niflheim sometime in the middle of the night. Aside from a short text indicating he’d landed, Ignis had heard nothing else. He knew he was riding a fine line sending a glaive into another kingdom to spy, but someone’s life was in danger. 

The person who  _ had _ managed to clog his inbox was Noct. The prince had been texting him nearly every fifteen minutes wanting an update. Ignis almost regretted telling him that he’d sent Nyx. However, the advisor knew if he hadn’t said anything, Noct would have been a total wreck. This was a lesser of two evils. 

Finally, at around one thirty in the afternoon, Ignis received a text that wasn’t from Noct. 

**Nyx Ulric 1:32pm:** _This shit is real… o-o sunshine still beaming, snaky is scary af. Got job interview to go to now. _

Ignis stared at his phone. What in Titan’s name was Nyx up to in Niflheim? Opting to keep it simple, he replied  _ good luck _ and pocketed his phone. He knew they couldn’t text exact details, but Nyx definitely had a way with words - or the lack thereof, Ignis wasn’t sure. 

Taking a deep breath, he continued on in his day, clinging to the small bit of Nyx’s text that read,  _ sunshine still beaming _ . Prompto was safe for now. That’s what mattered. 

  


* * *

Nyx had been following Amet Clavus, the third in line to the Niflheim throne, for an hour. He’d been trailing Saeva Pravus all morning after she’d left Otho Calvus quarters. Nyx was too far away to hear what had transpired between Otho and Amet during their meeting, but he was sure it was important. 

Hoping his hunch was correct; Nyx chose to follow Amet for the afternoon. His efforts were about to pay off big time. The hulking form of the alpha strolled ahead at a leisurely pace in the most disgusting part of town Nyx had ever seen. If it weren’t for the fact that the man was clearly a body-builder and stood damn near close to Gladio’s height, he would have been robbed ages ago. 

Finally, Nyx was able to overhear what Amet had been asking people. He needed a hired gun to run someone out of town. Putting on his best smile, Nyx wandered up to Amet and slapped him on the arm. “Oi, I hear you’re in the market for some hired muscle. Can’t imagine why, though. You’ve got plenty to go around.”

Amet stared at him for a moment and then smiled back. “I do work out quite a bit. Every day, in fact,” he announced proudly. A burst of pheromones soon followed, confirming his happiness regarding the topic.

“That’s excellent, gotta keep those muscles in peak condition. So, I hear you need help with something?” Nyx tried again.

“Oh! Yes, I need someone to leave town by the end of the week.”

“Uh – sure, I can help out with that,” Nyx replied, suddenly realizing that Amet was a few players short of a full team. 

“Great!” Amet breathed in relief. “I really want to get back so I can work out again, and it was taking too long to find someone.”

“Right, well, I’m your man.” Nyx grinned as he smoothed out his black denim jacket. Ignis had instructed him to go undercover and not wear anything that could tie him back to the crown.

“Ok, then, if you could swing by later and let me know when you’re done, that’d be great. I have to tell my brother.”

“I can do that, no problem.” Nyx answered slowly even though the large alpha hadn’t given him a location. Amet made to walk away, and Nyx scooted around in front of him again. “I just need a name and a deposit.”

“Yeah! So it’s my half – no wait!” Amet paused dramatically holding his hands out. “It’s my step-brother, Cirus! Oh no, that’s not right, either!” The man sighed and furrowed his brow clearly deep in thought.

“Would it help if I tired guessing?” Nyx offered dryly. 

“It’s on the tip of my brain.”

Nyx figured a lot of things were on the tip of Amet’s brain, but they’d been ignored for so long they’d turned to dust ages ago. The glaive was about to start throwing letters out to help when Amet sprang back to life.

“The omega! His name begins with a P. That’s all I remember.”

“Where does this omega live?” Nyx questioned further.

“With me.”

“Oh – like, um, in the same house?”

“No, a different one.” 

Nyx decided to take a different direction even though he knew who Amet was talking about and where Prompto lived. “So where do you live?” he asked gleefully.

“Under the old keep. You know, in the government compound where the royals live,” Amet whispered as if it mattered. 

“Gotcha, I know where that is. So I just need a deposit, and I’ll be on my merry way.”

“Perfect. I really gotta go,” agreed Amet as he dug around in his pocket and handed over a wad of cash. 

Nyx nearly busted a blood vessel when Amet gave it to him. The glaive pocketed it as fast as he could and hoped no one would come after him for it next. 

“Bye!” Amet cheered as he turned and left. 

Nyx literally ran back to the airfield where he’d been hiding out. The shed Prompto had hid his clothes in proved to be a perfect base of operations. Thankfully, no one followed him, and he hid the money after wiping off his prints. Now to find out what Saeva was up to. But before he left again, Nyx texted Ignis once more.

**Nyx Ulric 3:48pm:** _ Got the job but it's night shift, boss doesn’t mind if it’s dark all day long. I might have to take my work home with me if it gets difficult. _

  


* * *

  


Prompto flinched when his phone chimed. He’d been on edge all day wondering if Saeva would try something again. Prompto wouldn’t put it past her to visit his house; she truly was a snake. Grabbing his phone revealed a message from Ignis. 

**Ignis Scientia 3:55pm:** _Are you doing alright?_

The blond blinked a few times. Ignis was checking on him, but why? He knew the advisor was aware of his predicament, but he didn’t think he’d text him directly.

**Prompto Argentum 3:58pm:** _I’m okay, just nervous about seeing Saeva again._

**Ignis Scientia 4:00pm** ** _:_ ** _ I would advise you to stay in your room for as long as you can. Do you still have Nyx’s phone number? _

He thought about the nice beta soldier that they’d stationed outside Noct’s suite in Insomnia. He still had the number, but he’d never used it.

**Prompto Argentum 4:02pm:** _Yeah I still have it._

**Ignis Scientia 4:03pm:** _ Excellent. Keep it and call or text that number if you need immediate assistance. Is that understood? _

Prompto stared at his phone. Did that mean that soldier was here? Was Nyx in Niflheim? That meant he could leave, if he had an escort. However, he remembered he still had to convince his mother to leave. 

**Prompto Argentum 4:05pm:** _ Ok I will. Thanks for checking on me. _

**Ignis Scientia 4:05pm:** _Of course, anything to help._

Waiting a few minutes produced no more messages, and Prompto focused on taking deep breaths. He was going to survive this. He had people who wanted to help and who wanted to be friends with him. 

* * *

  


Checking her phone once more, Saeva looked up and smiled sweetly at Alban. The dolt was clueless about everything. He’d already completely forgotten about her issue with Prompto. He was prattling on about the latest model car that had been released in Altissia and showed no signs of stopping. “Darling, I feel a headache coming on. I’m going to retire to my rooms for a nap.”

This comment seemed to shut Alban up. “Oh, can I come?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

Working to hide her disdain, Saeva smiled again. “Oh, I would love to have you, but I fear my headache is too great. Rain check?”

The slightly balding alpha seemed upset, but he backed off. “Of course. Perhaps we could do dinner together?”

“Wasn’t this lovely lunch enough? Besides, I fear I may still be sleeping later. Tomorrow?”

Alban agreed, and Saeva finally stood to leave the stuffy room they’d been confined to for over an hour. She had her own meeting to attend. Smiling, she quickly left the suites and went outside the royal compound. 

Things were going well. The groundwork had been laid linking Otho and Amet with the plot to harm Prompto. However, she still needed to arrange his actual death. She didn’t trust either of them to accomplish the task. Amet was a good looking lump of muscle and nothing more. Otho was blinded by her kisses and promises. He didn’t stand a chance. Now when the lowly boy turned up dead, they would go down for his murder.

Alban, on the other hand, was moldable; she could work with that later. 

Meeting with an assassin for hire in the late afternoon wasn’t normal, but nothing Saeva did followed the rules. Ducking into a side street, she huddled into her fur lined coat and waited. 

“I didn’t think you’d show up,” a sultry voice nearby called out. 

“I have a tight schedule to keep, so this was my only availability,” Saeva replied. 

“Hmmm, I see. Details please?” the voice asked as the figure came out from an overhang. 

Saeva pulled a small envelope out of her inside coat pocket and handed it over to the woman approaching. She was wearing a long fitted trench coat and military grade boots. After pocketing the item, the light haired woman smiled ever so slightly and stared at Saeva. She made no move to say anything else, and appeared to be studying her.

Taking a deep breath Saeva nodded curtly. She was done with this transaction and needed to return to the government compound. Suddenly, the other woman shifted and was directly in front of her. Saeva was unable to fight back when the assassin roughly shoved her into the wall. 

“Something about you doesn’t sit well with me,” she offered in a hushed tone.

Saeva went to push her away, but something sharp poked her in the side. This fucking bitch had pulled a knife on her. “If you want the rest of your fucking money, whore, I suggest you back off,” Saeva spit.

“Oh no, how scary --” The woman drawled coolly. “Listen up, gold digger. If you want to stay pretty, I suggest you keep your end of the bargain. Also, my price just went up for your brass assumption regarding my sexual habits. Now, off you go. Run back to your big, strong, stupid alphas and play with them.” 

The anger bubbling up in Saeva’s veins was causing her to shake. How dare this woman talk to her in such a manner. “Fuck off!” she hissed.

The woman shrugged slightly and tilted her head. “If that’s what you want.”

Biting back a yelp, Saeva felt the woman get  _ even _ closer, as she leaned in with her full weight. What in Shiva’s name was happening? The knife was a steady presence in her side, so she couldn’t move away. 

Saeva then felt a pair of sharp teeth near her neck. “Stop it. I’ll pay the extra,” she relented unhappily. She couldn’t risk getting bitten. The other woman was an alpha and knew what she was doing. If Saeva had gotten marked, then she couldn’t marry the king. This fucking bitch was such a hassle. She hoped that when she found Prompto, she’d make him hurt. The blade went away, and Saeva finally pushed the woman away and walked out of the alley. 


	7. Hired Guns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things heat up as Prompto discovers he has more than one target on his back.

“Can’t it wait until tomorrow morning?” Prompto questioned desperately.

“Dearest, I know you have been acting strange ever since the engagement announcement, but you will have to accept it at some point. Hiding in your room won’t solve anything.”

“I know, but I really don’t want to go outside right now. Tomorrow morning when it’s light out would be so much better.”

“Prompto Argentum, don’t make me ask you a second time. Please take out the trash,” Soliamare requested in a somber tone. 

Wincing, Prompto sighed and furrowed his brow. He couldn’t fight with his mother right now. It was the last thing he needed to deal with. “Okay, okay. Can you watch me through the window?” he tried.

“Prompto! I’m not kidding. Get your butt moving this instant,” she huffed, walking away. 

For a moment, he considered telling her what Lady Saeva had done to him so she’d understand why he didn’t want to go outside. However, he was still worried she wouldn’t believe him. Instead, taking his fate in his own hands, he quietly grabbed the trash bag and opened the back door. 

He could do this. 

All he had to do was run to the bin, chuck the bag in, and run back. Shouldn’t they have people to do this for them? His mom was a queen, for crying out loud! 

If only life had worked out that way. No sooner had he begun the run to the bin when movement in the bushes caught his attention. The one rational thought that crossed his mind indicated that it probably wasn’t Lady Saeva hiding in the dirt. However, something was there, and that something was now running at him. 

His throat only allowed a small strangled noise to escape as he dropped the trash bag and stumbled backwards. It was a person coming at him - no, it was a woman. Astrals, maybe it really was Saeva! 

Then a second figure appeared and tackled the mystery woman to the ground. They didn’t stay down; the newcomer was gracelessly tossed aside, and the lady continued on toward him. Prompto had never seen anyone throw a body so easily. His own limbs weren’t cooperating as he tried to get away. The fear was overwhelming. 

Unable to catch himself, Prompto tripped and tumbled down onto the ground. He had to try and fight back, but his mind was too muddled to function. Managing to scramble backwards, Prompto looked for anything he could use for defense. Bloody groundskeepers hadn’t even left him an errant twig lying around.

A hand grasped his ankle a second later, and his brain went back into full panic mode. The scary woman had caught up and was dragging Prompto’s body across the dirt. This time a flash of blue light accompanied the second attack. The figure who’d been trying to stop the fight had used magic! Did that mean they were from Lucis?

The woman grunted when she was tackled a second time. “Get off me!” she hissed as they both fell over.

“Run Prompto!” the man exclaimed from where he’d landed, and he was trying not to get a fist to the face.

Wait, this guy knew his name, but who would know him? It had to be the soldier that was stationed nearby, Nyx. Prompto didn’t say a word but somehow was able to stand again and run for the back door. Focusing on running up the few steps to the door, he missed a small but important detail. His mother was watching through the door and had decided to come outside. Gods, no, this was so bad. 

Soliamare shoved the door open wide and was running to him, Prompto wasn’t sure what she was hoping to accomplish. Bad things were clearly happening outside of their house.

“Mum, no! Go back inside!” he tried. Of course, like any parent, she ignored him and pulled Prompto close into a hug. 

“What on Eos is going on out here?” She asked nervously. 

The attacker was still struggling with Nyx, and when Soliamare made an appearance, it proved enough of a distraction for the woman to shove Nyx away. Prompto watched in horror as she rushed them again, this time with a dagger drawn. This wasn’t happening; he wasn’t going to let this happen. 

Without thinking, Prompto twisted his mum out of the way and took her place in front of the incoming blade. Then there was nothing but silence. Things weren’t in slow motion like in the movies. They had ceased to exist. He’d apparently closed his eyes during what he thought was his last moment alive. However, he was still breathing and uninjured. 

Nyx’s voice cut through the haze a moment later. “Why? He’s a harmless omega,” he asked with a strained voice.

The blond willed his eyes to open, and he was greeted with quite a sight. This woman who was trying to kill him had her dagger inches from his throat. Nyx also had his weapon out and had it under the woman’s chin. They were at a stalemate. 

“If he’s so harmless, then why the hit?” the woman pondered coolly. 

“You seriously trust the crazy bitch that gave you that order?” Nyx sputtered.

“Of course not!” she spat. “She’s a troublemaker, clear as day.” 

“Then why are you doing what she wants?”

The attacker paused and looked directly at Prompto. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck raising. His mum was shaking behind him. She had clutched his arm like a vice, and he suspected if she let go, she might fall over. 

“I suppose if someone is willing to take a hit for their mother, they can’t be that bad,” she mused a moment later, slowly lowering the blade. “So keep talking, glaive.”

Nyx went to respond, but a noise from nearby caught his attention. “Inside now!” he huffed. With his knife still at the attackers throat, they all managed to stumble inside.

Soliamare was the first to crack. She started crying rather loudly and drug Prompto into the corner of the kitchen. “Leave us alone. We didn’t do anything wrong,” she wailed desperately. 

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, majesty,” Nyx replied. “We need to get answers from our mystery woman first.”

“You can lower your weapon, glaive; I’m not in the mood to play with you anymore,” she replied dryly. “Besides, blue eyes over there is seriously stressed out right now,” she added, sniffing the air lightly. “Can’t you tell?”

Nyx furrowed his brow and kept staring at her. “Obviously, he’s stressed; you just tried to kill him.”

“I wasn’t going to kill him,” she defended. “I was trying to see what he’d do.”

“By holding a knife to my throat?!” Prompto exclaimed. “How does that help you make a decision about someone?”

“You’re an omega, and even given that fact, you still went to save your mother. It’s a sign of good character. Besides, if you have a glaive looking after you, then I suspect the report I was given is incorrect.”

“What report?” Nyx pressured. 

The woman rolled her eyes ,and then in a flash, she ducked down and away from Nyx’s weapon. With one swift kick she sent Nyx toppling backwards and across the kitchen floor. “I’m tired of talking with that thing at my neck. Shall we be civilized and sit at the damn table?” she queried.

“Hey!” Prompto cut in. “My mum is having a mental breakdown over here, and I’m barely keeping it together. Are you gonna try and kill me again?”

“Huh?” The woman seemed a little stunned by his outburst. “Kid, I’m not going to try and kill you. Like I said, I hadn’t made up my mind about that, anyway.”

“Then can you leave us alone?” he asked, hopeful.

“Sorry, cupcake. If our lady friend finds out I bailed, she’ll just hire someone else.”

Nyx had picked himself up off the floor and was stomping back over to where the stranger had taken a seat at the table. “Name?” he growled. 

“Oh – that’s why you can’t smell him as well as me. You’re a beta,” she mused with wide eyes. “You’re not bad of a fighter, considering.”

Nyx frowned but opted to stand between the stranger and Prompto. 

A shaky voice spoke up next. “What lady friend are you talking about?” Soliamare asked with teary eyes. 

“Lady Saeva,” the stranger announced.

“Wha—no, you must be mistaken!” she lamented. “She’s to marry Prompto’s eldest brother!” 

“Step-brother!” Prompto and Nyx interjected at the same time.

Soliamare seemed stunned and started to waver where she stood. Nyx noticed right away and rushed over to help her sit down. “Majesty, you need to take it easy.” He turned his attention back to the stranger. “Now, will you please tell us your name?” He asked 

“You could pass for an alpha with some more training. You’re so good at it,” she enthused with a small smile, completely ignoring his question. 

“I’m gonna start calling you nasty names if you don’t provide one!”

The mystery woman laughed and leaned back in the kitchen chair. “You can call me Aranea. So what’s your name  _ beta _ ?” she asked, using her full alpha influence.

Prompto could tell Nyx was struggling with this encounter. The scent this woman, Aranea, had started to produce was intoxicating. It wasn’t calming, but it wasn’t threatening either. 

“Ulric,” he finally managed through gritted teeth. 

“The famous glaive, Nyx Ulric. This is exciting.”

“What are we going to do?” Prompto asked weakly as he slowly sank to the floor. 

“Hey now, kid, don’t sit on the floor,” Aranea cooed as she stood up. 

“Don’t hurt me!” the blond whimpered as he backed away further into the corner. 

Nyx was about to abandon his post next to Soliamare when Aranea stopped and held up a placating hand. “I’m not going to harm anyone. Promise.”

“How can we trust you?” Nyx asked seriously. 

“You’ll just have to use your gut instinct,  _ beta _ .”

“You – you have to do better with your scent,” Prompto offered. “I’m not feeling so great right now.” 

Aranea looked a little dumbstruck by the statement. “My scent? Oh! You mean you want me to change it?”

Prompto nodded his head furiously. “Ignis can do one that’s really calming; I thought all alpha’s could.” 

“Ignis, as in the prince of Lucis’ advisor, Ignis Scientia?”

“Uh-huh.” 

“How do you know Scientia?” Nyx asked worriedly.

“I know of him. I don’t know him personally. Besides, if Scientia likes you, I’m not touching you with a ten-foot pole, kid. You should warn a lady first.” Aranea huffed. “Playing with fire has its dangers. His mom must have known what he’d grow up to be to give him a name like Ignis.”

“What are you thinking he’s responsible for ,anyway?” Nyx asked perplexed.

“He’s a mastermind. He plans and calculates and does things that no one else thinks of. You’re probably here because he sent you.”

Nyx pursed his lips but stayed silent. 

“Well that answers that. So this scent thing. . . you say you want calming, huh?” Aranea wrinkled her nose as she worked to adjust her pheromones.

Prompto could tell instantly that she’d changed something. Instead of the previously charged atmosphere, his heart rate was finally able to slow down. He didn’t even notice she’d approached until he felt his foot move. She’d nudged his shoe with her boot. 

“Better?”

He nodded and closed his eyes. 

“Hey kid! Sit at the table with us!” she tried.

Popping his eyes open once more. He accepted Aranea’s hand, and she tugged him upright. Once he’d sat down, his mum forcefully drug his chair closer to hers. “Is that why you were so upset at the party the other night? Did she do something to you?” Soliamare asked with a pained expression.

“She threatened him with a knife and was trying to bite him I think,” Nyx cut in.

“You were there!” Prompto shouted. “Titan’s ass, it was you that slammed the door!” 

“Language, Prompto!” Soliamare reprimanded. 

“Sorry, mum. I didn’t know it was Nyx who saved me. She was going to stab me or claim me, I couldn’t tell.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“You wouldn’t have believed me,” the blond lamented.

Soliamare went to answer but closed her mouth a moment later. “I’m so sorry, dear heart. I didn’t realize what her true character was. Do you forgive me?” 

“Mum!” he cried. “Of course. Will you please let us leave now, though? I don’t want to live here anymore. I want to go to Lucis. Noct wants to have us, and Ignis is helping him figure out how.”

“You can add me to the list, too,” Aranea added with a grin.

“What makes you think I trust you?!” exclaimed Nyx. 

“You will,  _ beta _ . Don’t you want to keep an eye on me?” she asked innocently.

Nyx shuddered and shook his head. “Will you stop using alpha-influenced speech. it’s really hard to have a conversation with you.”

“I know,” she offered, still smiling. “ _ Beta _ .”

Nyx made a high pitched noise and clenched his fists on the table. “Why me?” he huffed under his breath. 

“Why not you?” she asked. 

“Astrals save me. Prompto, do you trust her?”

“Can we ask Ignis?” he ventured. 

“Yeessss, let’s ask Scientia. I want to hear his voice.” 

“We can’t exactly call him; I can send a text, though.”

Aranea frowned but still seemed excited by this development. “How exciting, coded messages.”

Nyx sighed as he dug out his phone. He typed for a few minutes and then put the phone down. 

“What did you say?” Soliamare asked.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t make any sense.” Nyx lamented. 

Prompto assumed, since Nyx was calming down, that Aranea would probably stay with them unless Ignis texted him back something to the contrary. Now they had to figure out how to get out of Niflheim and back to Lucis where it was safe. If Lady Saeva had hired someone to try and kill him, then she was serious about getting rid of him. That thought was a little disheartening, but he was glad he had help to fight back. He wasn’t going to let Lady Saeva ruin his life. 

  


* * *

  


Ignis stared at his phone. Oh dear, this was a very disturbing development.

**Nyx Ulric 10:48pm** ** _:_ ** _ New co-worker started today from rival company. Not sure if they are on the up and up. Showing them the ropes now but things may change. The new girl’s a sharp cookie. _

He had to act fast. Things were spiraling out of control, and he was getting very worried for Prompto’s safety. The advisor grabbed his coat and ran out of his apartment. It didn’t take long before Ignis tracked down Ardyn. He was lounging in the gardens in the dark. The man saw him coming and gave Ignis a puzzled look as he briskly strode over.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” asked Ardyn from the shadows. 

“That vile woman has hired an assassin to go after Prompto,” Ignis hissed quietly. 

“Oh, that does move your timetable forward slightly. I take it we are to be leaving within the hour?”

“Yes. I must tell Noct and Gladio, and then we can go.” 

“Oh! I want to watch. I love it when our young prince gets riled up,” Ardyn exclaimed as he stood up and smoothed out his coat. 

“You enjoy it because he accidentally sets things on fire.” Ignis sighed. 

“It’s a Lucis Caelum thing, Ignis. You wouldn’t understand.”

Rolling his eyes, they both started walking towards Noct’s suite. Ignis had already texted Gladio with instructions to meet them there. He could only hope that the prince would follow his directions.

Noct, to his credit, didn’t set anything on fire. Ignis could tell that Ardyn was terribly disappointed, but they didn’t have time to waste with such matters. The dark-haired youth did try to weasel his way into coming, but his shield put a stop to that plan. 

Gladio was not going to let Noct leave Lucis - not with assassins running around. Noct finally backed off and made them both promise to send him constant updates. 

“Do you think he was able to convince his mom to leave?” Noct asked worriedly. “He said he wasn’t going without her.”

“I am not leaving Prompto in that situation. I will strive to educate his mother on the reasons for leaving, but if she won’t come, then I can’t force her.”

Noct looked confused for a moment. “Um --.”

“Save it princess, he basically just said he’s coming back with Prompto whether his mom likes it or not.” Gladio huffed. “You both better get going. I don’t think snaky would cheap out on hired help for a job like that. You don’t have much time.”

“Snaky is far too kind of a name for that harlot,” Ignis growled. “We must go.” On that final note, he turned and left the suite. He hoped he wasn’t too late. Nyx appeared to be handling what he could, but if Saeva got King Alban on her side, things would definitely take a turn for the worse.

“My dear boy, I’ve not seen you so animated in quite some time,” Ardyn proffered as they walked towards the car waiting to take them to the airfield. “I do believe Sana’s assessment of imprinting is correct.”

Ignis stalled briefly in the corridor. “You talked to Sana?” he ventured.

“When she visits I do, of course, but I’ve gathered this information from Gladio.” 

Picking up his pace again, Ignis wondered when that talk had occurred. “Do you and Gladio discuss things frequently?”

“We had our reasons; we were concerned about you.”

Ignis stopped for a second time. “Concerned? What on Eos would you both be worried about?”

“Ignis, I know you can walk and talk. Shall we?” Ardyn gestured with his hand.

“Did you consider it might be you who can’t walk and talk?” Ignis grumbled as he continued on.

Arydn’s laugher broke the tension. “I can do a great many things at the same time.”

“Hmmm. So why were you discussing me?” the advisor tried again.

“Gladio correctly guessed that I’d met other imprinted mates, so he wanted my insight. We have both noticed your change in behavior around Prompto.”

“Though I desire to know more, I must be blunt due to our current situation. Should I be worried about anything?” Ignis asked with furrowed brow.

Ardyn smiled. “No.”

“That’s it? You have some possible life-altering talk about me, and I’ve nothing to worry about?” Ignis asked in disbelief.

“You decided to rescue the lad, so you did the right thing. No intervention needed.”

Ignis opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t find the words.

“Imprinted mates don’t fare well if they don’t get together, Ignis. Gladio simply wants you to be happy, which is why he sought my advice.”

Taking a deep breath, Ignis hurried his pace as they raced to get to Niflheim. It was astonishing that someone could hold such power over him after they’d only been in each other’s company for a day at most. Prompto might not even feel the same way. He could travel there and be rebuffed. That would be a rather disappointing let down.

It was pushing midnight when they finally boarded the dropship. Ardyn plunked down in a seat and promptly fell asleep. Ignis envied his ability to tune out the world when need be. His mind was far too consumed with possible issues and problems that would await them when they landed. 

Suddenly overcome with an odd feeling of guilt, he pulled out his phone to text Gladio.

**Ignis Scientia 12:05am:** _I’m doing the right thing, aren’t I?_

Breathing deeply, he waited to see if the shield would respond. Thankfully, the man answered him within minutes.

**Gladio Amicitia 12:08am:** _Of course you are the kid needs help._

**Ignis Scientia 12:10am:** _You don’t think Noct is cross with me for ignoring him, do you? I’ve been so focused on Prompto. I fear I’ve not been doing enough for his highness._

His phone pinged nearly immediately after that.

**Gladio Amicitia 12:11am:** _NO! and NO!_

Ignis looked down at his phone with wide eyes. He assumed Gladio was typing more and waited for a follow up message. 

**Gladio Amicitia 12:14am:** _Noct would be sneaking out right now if I wasn’t here to prevent it. He’s ecstatic that you’re taking action. Plus you do too much for princess as it is, he’ll survive. Go get your omega!_

The last message helped dispel Ignis’ worried thoughts. Even if Prompto turned him down, he would still help him escape Niflheim and start a new life elsewhere. Opening a text to Nyx, he alerted the glaive to their arrival.

**Ignis Scientia 12:20am:** _I wish to interview your new coworker before the shift starts. Will your office work? _

They’d already arranged code words for meeting places in case this very scenario happened. He could only hope Nyx would get his message in time. 

The glaive texted him back within minutes.

**Nyx Ulric 12:25am:** _Please tell me the head of HR is coming too?_

Oh dear. This was very bad indeed. If Nyx was already requesting backup, things were getting dangerous.

**Ignis Scientia 12:27am:** _Even better, the VP._

**Nyx Ulric 12:29am:** _Thank the six._

The messages stopped after that, and Ignis could only prepare for the unknown. His first order of business once they landed was to locate Prompto and Nyx and get the hell out. 


	8. Falling Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which several things happen and Prompto may have to fight for his life.

Saeva was cloaked in the shadows as she watched Prompto’s house in the dead of night. She should have listened to her gut feeling regarding Aranea; she’d foolishly ignored it simply because the assassin was a woman. Aranea had nearly killed the little brat when he’d gone outside, but someone had stopped the fight. Now they’d all piled into the small house and were talking. At least that’s what it looked like from afar. Curse the stupid empire guard that had spooked them. Now she couldn’t hear any of the conversation. 

Something had changed as the occupants were all sitting in the kitchen. Aranea wasn’t trying to slice the filthy omega’s throat open anymore. Apparently she hadn’t done enough research on this woman. She could easily be swayed, and that was a very big problem.

Pulling her fur coat tighter around her shoulders, Saeva continued to lurk. If they left, she wanted to know about it. Though she wasn’t planning on staying outside forever, clearly this pathetic excuse for a paid assassin was spilling the beans. She had to act fast if she wanted to become queen. The omega and his lowly mother could run to Alban and tell him everything. 

Turning, Saeva carefully picked her way back to the main royal building. That was going to be the first thing to go once she was on the throne. All of these little concrete eye sores were going to be razed, and a new palatial edifice was going to take its place. She didn’t care where the brothers moved to, but it wasn’t going to be near her. 

Once inside, she made her way to Alban’s quarters. The oaf was asleep, of course. That’s all he did: eat, drink, and sleep. Pounding on his bedroom door for a good five minutes finally roused the man. He came stumbling out in ugly underwear and blinked stupidly at her. Judging by his scent, he was still mostly asleep. 

“Saeva? Whas’ the matter?” he grumbled. 

“That omega is going to ruin my wedding,” she wailed. “He’s still here, and he’s just going to ruin everything!” 

“Prompto?” he questioned, confused. “How can he ruin anything? He’s just an omega.”

Saeva focused on crying and raised her voice. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me! Why does this always happen? I’m such a fool for thinking I could have a normal life with you!” She sobbed dramatically. 

Alban woke up fully after the shouting started. “I didn’t say that! I just don’t understand why you don’t like Prompto. He’s truly harmless; he never leaves his house and avoids people on purpose.”

“If you won’t help me, then I don’t know who I can turn to! Maybe your brother would be more accommodating.” 

“Otho?!” Alban exclaimed. “What would he know about this? He’s an idiot!” 

“You don’t love me. Otherwise, you’d help me!” 

“I’m trying to help, but you aren’t making any damn sense, woman!” the king huffed. 

“So it’s true you don’t love me,” she gasped. 

“I never said that!” Alban shouted, clearly getting agitated by the turn of events. “What do you want me to do?” he tried again with desperation.

“I want you to make that omega go away. He’ll make trouble for us later, I know it. He doesn’t like me, and he’ll try to craft lies about me.” 

“What kind of lies would he say about you, dear; you’re so sweet,” Alban murmured, calming somewhat as his scent started to show signs of arousal. 

This wasn’t the mood she wanted the king in, so she tried again to rattle Alban. “He will come to you and tell you lies - I can feel it! He’s wicked and conniving.”

“Have you met him?” Alban asked, puzzled. “He’s just Prompto and not at all like you’re describing. I know him being an omega bothers you, but he listens when you tell him things. He’ll follow orders.”

Saeva was beginning to realize that, despite his alpha bravado, Alban was a total and complete pussy. “I just don’t see how I can believe you love me anymore.”

“Uh – I can most definitely show you.” Alban smirked as he tried to pose suggestively while leaning on a nearby chair. 

The man looked absolutely ridiculous standing there in his worn underwear and socks. Who slept in socks but nothing else? “Go get ready for me, then. I’ll be there in a second,” she cooed, trying to hide her grimace. Fishing her phone out, she made a quick call. It only took a moment of fearful hushed whispering to engage her next pawn. She had to wait and distract Alban with useless foreplay. 

* * *

  


“I don’t see why we can’t simply go to the King and tell him what’s going on,” Soliamare lamented. 

“He wouldn’t believe us mum, he’s got Saeva feeding him lies. We need to leave first and then talk about what we can do later.”

“But he’s never been unkind to me.”

“That doesn’t matter right now. It’s not safe for us to be here anymore.” Prompto groaned while motioning towards Aranea to indicate his point. “If Nyx hadn’t come by, who knows what would have happened.”

“I wasn’t going to gut you, kid, I swear,” Aranea offered sincerely. “I was given inaccurate information about you.”

“When were you going to figure that out? When I had a knife sticking outta me?!” Prompto exclaimed. 

“Look, despite the way I was coming at you, I wasn’t planning on killing you.” Aranea sighed. “Shiva’s tits, I can’t believe I’m about to spill my biggest secret. Listen blue eyes, I don’t actually kill my targets. I arrange for them to disappear instead. I kept getting hired by the bad guys to take out innocent people, so I decided to turn the tables.”

Nyx finally joined in the conversation. “Wait -- like witness protection?”

“I suppose you could call it that. It does pay the bills, and I’m good at it, so that helps.”

“Since you both are going to help us, what happens next?” Prompto asked quietly. “You said Ignis was coming, right?” he asked hopefully, looking over at Nyx.

“Yeah, he’s on his way with backup; we need to meet him at that shed on the airfield,” Nyx offered. 

“When? Can we leave now?” Prompto asked hurriedly.

“If you need to take anything, now would be a good time to grab it.”

“I can’t believe this is happening. Everything was so normal this morning. There was going to be a wedding and –and there was going to be another female at court.” Soliamare sighed as she stood from the table.

“Come on, mum. Let’s go get ready,” Prompto urged. He didn’t want to upset his mother, but they needed to get going. It was clear their presence was not wanted. 

  


* * *

  


Ignis stared out the window of the cockpit with a scowl. Lucis only had two older model dropships in their fleet. Ignis was currently standing in one, and the other sat a few hundred yards away. He had seen nothing indicating another trip was ongoing. This could be a very serious issue. There was another visitor from Insomnia in Niflheim.

“You must not be the only one worried about someone,” Ardyn offered from over Ignis’ shoulder.

“There aren’t many people with clearance to borrow one of the dropships. Do you think they are here because of Prompto?”

“Probably, but not for the reason you think.”

Ignis sighed. “That’s not exactly helpful.” 

“Well, you won’t get any answers waiting in this drafty relic. Shall we go snooping?” 

Shaking his head, Ignis turned and trudged down the corridor to grab his coat. “Please don’t start a war,” he yelled back. Ignis was vaguely aware of Ardyn snickering and commenting that he’d already been there and done that. 

Following Nyx’s instructions from his last visit, Ignis located the tiny shed where Prompto had stashed his bag. He found it almost immediately due to the sweet smell still lingering on the clothes in the bag. “Can you smell his scent?” Ignis asked, concerned. 

Ardyn shook his head and raised an eyebrow. “Being an imprint has certain benefits; sniffing your partner out is one.”

“He may not want me as a partner, Ardyn. I’m an alpha, and he’s scared to death of us. Though I will be curious to see how he reacts to you.” 

“I promise to be on my best behavior.” He partially bowed. “Now I must ask, where to next?”

“This is the designated meeting spot; we simply need to wait here.”

“Oh, how droll.” Ardyn sighed. “Can’t you use your nose and sniff your omega out?”

“I seriously doubt there is enough of his scent around for me to even attempt that.” Ignis scoffed. “Besides, we should stay here.”

“Nonsense, let’s go hunting.” Ardyn grinned. 

Ignis leveled a glare at him. “You aren’t going to leave me alone until we go find him, are you?”

“Nope,” he chirped, pushing the door to the shed open again. “Time is ticking, my dear boy. We must hurry.” 

* * *

Engaging Alban in foreplay was so tiring. Saeva didn’t want to have sex with him, but she needed it to look like they were about to do the deed. The canopy bed was a blessing as she was able to duck in and out of the fabric to tease Alban. 

Finally someone started pounding on the door to the suite. Working hard not to roll her eyes, at being made to wait, Saeva lunged at Alban and started screaming at the top of her lungs. 

Part of Saeva knew she was setting women’s rights back by a few notches with this stunt, but she didn’t have a choice. Their new visitor needed to believe Alban was trying to force himself on her. Pretending that Alban was the sole cause of her distress, she started crying and wailing for him to leave her alone. 

This was the exact moment Otho came barging into the bedroom. Alban had started to freak out and was backing away to give Saeva space. However, it was easy for her to goad Otho into attacking his brother. The damage had been done. 

Gathering her clothes scattered on the floor, Saeva scurried away behind Otho. “Dear, save me! He tried to force himself on me!” she breathed out excitedly.

“I did no such thing!” Alban shouted. “She’s lying!”

Where Alban was slightly more wary of the world, Otho was headstrong and stupid. He instantly took Saeva’s word as gospel and rushed the king. Dressing quickly, she began going through Alban’s discarded clothing looking for his knife. Grabbing the handle with Alban’s discarded undershirt, she edged closer to the brothers.

Otho was currently beating Alban with his fists and shouting incoherently. Hovering close, Saeva waited for an opening. This fight needed a clear victor, and she was going to be the one making the final decision. Running forward when Alban had his back to her, she stabbed him. 

Otho was in such a rage that he missed the move. Then, like a true idiot, he grabbed the hilt of the knife when he saw it and pulled it out. Alban merely screamed a second time and tried clutching his back. The blood gushing out broke the spell Otho was under. 

Saeva scurried away from the pair as Otho shouted loudly. He was staring at his blood covered hands and repeating the word sorry over and over. Alban tried reaching out to his brother but the man was in a state of shock as he kept babbling. 

Overcome with adrenaline, Saeva bolted from the room. She had to get away from the pair of them. She knew the wound was fatal; she’d aimed for his heart and it seemed Otho was in no frame of mind to administer any help. Otho would be blamed for the king’s death. Saeva simply had to go to the next brother in line to the throne and woo him. 

The poor Niflheim monarchy and this new scandal were going to rock the tabloids. Saeva was planning on using the public attention to cement her place in the family. She’d offer support for the death of the king, the trial of the murderer, and the disappearance of their lone omega. 

Making her way along the corridor, Saeva found the exit door and ran outside to Otho’s apartment. The man had a collection of weapons that he’d gathered over his boring lifespan and Saeva intended to use one in particular. 

* * *

Prompto could hear his mother whining about something down the hall. Shoving one more item in his small backpack, he ran out to see what the issue was. 

“I thought I had them with me,” she moaned. “Why aren’t they here?”

“Mum, what’s wrong? What are you looking for?”

Nyx and Aranea had joined them now, and they all stood huddled around an old desk in the sitting room. “Of course this would happen now,” she huffed after a moment of more paper rummaging. 

“What are you missing, Majesty?” Nyx asked worriedly.

“All my important paperwork that I thought I’d removed from my husband’s safe,” she admitted with a blank stare.

“Do you absolutely need it?” Aranea questioned. 

“I don’t know. Prom’s and my birth certificate is in there along with my marriage license. I know there are other important things, but I don’t know if they are worth getting.” She sighed. 

“That’s an Ignis question,” Nyx announced. “He’s due to rendezvous with us in an hour, and I’m not sure I can text him that question without raising suspicion.” 

“Can you try?” Aranea asked with a sweet look. 

Prompto could tell Aranea liked Nyx. She was always standing way too close to him, and her pheromones were clearly advertising it as well. He was going to have to remind her again to tone it down. His heart couldn’t take the constant fluctuation. 

Nyx pulled his phone out and winced. “I’m not sure this will work. Majesty, I’m almost afraid to ask, but where is this safe?”

Prompto’s mother outright laughed. “It’s in the basement of Alban’s current residence. Sorry for the trouble. I wish I’d remembered that I never cleaned that out. We could be on our way right now.” 

“Let me check with Ignis; he knows more about paperwork than me,” Nyx replied as he peered down and typed out a message. “We will wait for ten minutes ,and then we are going to Alban’s as a group to get the paperwork,” Nyx announced after he’d sent the message. 

Barely a minute had elapsed when Nyx’s phone buzzed. “Is that him already?” Prompto blurted. He was excited that Ignis was helping them, and he felt for the first time a strong pull to be near the alpha. Prompto couldn’t explain what was happening to his mind, but he knew if he didn’t find relief for his growing panic, he would explode.

  


* * *

“Damn!” Ignis huffed angrily as he glared at his phone. 

**Nyx Ulric 2:35am:** _Just found out we may need to go to the boss’s office. They have the only copy of the handbook._

Sighing heavily he typed a response.

**Ignis Scientia 2:38am:** W _ e can go over it together! _

“Something wrong?” Ardyn asked calmly. 

“I believe they are all headed to the king’s quarters to fetch important documents. That constitutes as something wrong, doesn’t it?” Ignis asked sarcastically. This was an unwelcome development. They needed to leave quickly not get caught right under Alban’s nose. 

“They aren’t prisoners, Ignis. The queen and her son should be allowed to leave if they like.”

“Correct in theory, but if Saeva is truly trying to kill Prompto, she won’t let him waltz out of Niflheim without a fight.”

“Off to Alban’s house!” Ardyn enthused as he pointed towards a clump of buildings in the distance. 

“Six, I hope we ma --.” Ignis paused mid-sentence and inhaled deeply. “You crazy old coot, you were right. I  _ can _ smell him.” Taking off in a run, Ignis followed his nose toward his omega. Ardyn was close behind and seemed excited by this new turn of events. 

It was a little surreal running around in the dead of night following a scent. It was, however, clear as a bell, and he quickly came up to a small unassuming concrete block house at the edge of the property. The scent was very strong. This had to be Prompto’s house. 

Without hesitation he barreled up the steps to the back door and entered the house. The lights were on, but no one was there. 

“I believe they just left.” Ardyn offered as he stood near the sink. “This tea is still warm.” 

Ignis grunted in response and paced from one room to the next. He was taking mental pictures of Prompto’s home life. It was as comfortable as Nyx had described it, but it lacked something. It didn’t feel safe. “I’m ready if you are.”

Once more they stole out into the dark, heading toward the king’s residence. Prompto’s scent was getting stronger, so Ignis knew he was heading the right direction. Staying hidden near the path, Ignis scoured the building for a service entrance. “I see a door, but there are guards nearby. What should we do?” Ignis asked of his traveling companion. 

“Hmm—that’s easy.” Ardyn quipped. 

Ignis figured out what was happening far too late. All he could do was hold his breath and focus on not screaming out loud. The warp was over in a blink of an eye. Ardyn was supporting his weight as Ignis’ body adjusted to being thrown through space and time. Thankfully, the door Ardyn had flung them at was recessed so they could hide in the dark safely. “Would – you care to warn me next time,” he gasped. 

“Never - that takes the fun right out of it, Ignis. You know that. Now be a good crownsguard and get the door open.”

It took another minute for Ignis to find his balance so that he could focus on breaking and entering. What had life turned into? Gladio and Noct were safe at home, and he was on an international rescue mission. He was also sure he was breaking several laws while doing it, and that was slightly disconcerting. 

The door clicked open roughly a moment later, and they both slipped inside. Finding Prompto and the others was imperative; time was running out. 

* * *

“Where’s Ignis?” Prompto whispered as they hurried along the corridor to the basement. 

“He’ll be here soon, don’t worry,” Nyx offered.

Soliamare had remembered a back door to the building that allowed them access without being seen. Now, as they worked their way deeper into the bowels of the building, Prompto couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being followed. “Are we safe?”

“As safe as you’re gonna get, kid,” Aranea huffed. “Stop worrying. The sooner we get your important papers, the sooner we can go.” 

Finally, the room in question appeared, and the four went inside to tackle the safe. “Mum, please tell me you know the code?” Prompto asked with wide eyes.

“Unless your step-brother has changed it, then yes, I do.”

Taking a deep breath Prompto watched his mother work the dial on the safe and prayed for it to open. The sound of the latch clicking open was music to his ears. “Is everything still there?” he asked hurriedly.

“Thank the six, yes. I’m so sorry we had to do this. I was worried about what might happen if we couldn’t prove our identities.”

“It had to be done, but let’s go before someone actually does find us,” Nyx added with concern. 

The trek back to the main corridor revealed that the exit now had a guard standing nearby. “That guy wasn’t there before, was he?” Aranea whispered. “Shit, we need to find another way out.”

Turning back, they quickly descended the steps to the basement once more. There had to be another exit at the other end of the building. The space was not laid out well, and as they explored, the rooms were getting smaller. It was disorienting. Prompto glanced over to check on his mother as she clutched their life history in her shaking hands. 

Then, without warning, an alarm sounded upstairs. All four of them stopped dead in their tracks and exchanged looks. It didn’t appear that they’d done anything to trigger the alarm, as they were all standing in the middle of an empty room. “What do we do now?!” Prompto yelped.

“Run instead of walk. We need to get the hell outta here,” Aranea hissed. 

The next door led to another small useless room, but then their luck changed. The new room featured an old rusty metal door - one that seemed far too old for the space it occupied. Nyx and Aranea immediately began working to get the door open. It revealed a narrow, dark passageway leading away from the building. 

Within seconds, Nyx had his flashlight out and was peering into the space. “Let’s go!” he ordered. 

Soliamare grabbed Prompto as they stumbled after Nyx. Aranea brought up the rear with her own flashlight. After a few minutes of walking, the corridor opened up into a vast underground chamber. “Astrals!” Nyx exclaimed. “I didn’t even notice we’d gone downhill,” he added, illuminating the space with his light. 

“Any idea where we are?” Aranea asked, looking to Soliamare. 

Prompto’s mother shook her head and held him closer. 

“Come on, we need to keep moving,” Nyx huffed. 

The chamber looked like it could have been grand once. It almost reminded Prompto of the spaces at the citadel back in Insomnia. The decayed entrance was blocked by debris. They still needed to find a way out. “I see something,” Aranea offered as she ran towards the corner to check out what appeared to be a service door. “Yes!” she enthused. “Look what’s on the other side!” She smiled, pointing. 

The service door opened to reveal a small walkway over a double height space below. The exciting thing was that at the other end of the metal walkway stood a door with light clearly streaming in underneath it. They were close to being free. 

Aranea hurried across first and dropped down to check under the crack of the door. “It looks good, come on,” she urged, waving her hands. 

Soliamare started out next but stopped midway. She turned partially to look back at Prompto with fearful eyes. “I can feel it breaking,” she breathed. “What should I do?” The noise of scraping metal soon started to get louder. The walkway was going to collapse. 

Prompto could see the structure sagging. “Mum!” He started to go towards his mother out of desperation, but Nyx pulled him back. 

Then a flash of blue light erupted next to him and Nyx was gone. “I’m coming for you next Prompto,” Nyx shouted from where he was working to hand off a very distressed Soliamare to Aranea on the other side.

“How’d -- how?!” Prompto stuttered. He wanted to add more, but a loud bang shattered his train of thought. The shouts of his mother added to the confusion. What was going on? Why was no one moving? Prompto could tell his body was trying to tell him something, but he was experiencing a massive adrenaline rush. Was the shock of nearly losing his mother doing this or something else? 

He went to straighten up and a severe pain ripped through his side. Looking down revealed a dark red stain spreading on his clothes. 

“He dies if you warp anywhere near us,” Saeva offered dryly as she stepped onto the landing of the walkway, her gun now pointed at Prompto’s head. 

“It looks as if you mean to kill him no matter my actions, Lady Saeva,” Nyx spit out. 

“You could survive if you do what you’re told, unlike this filth,” she indicated with a nod of her head towards Prompto.

Prompto winced at her words and stumbled backwards slightly. He couldn’t support his body much longer. 

“So what you’re saying is that I’ll have to sacrifice myself to save the prince,” Nyx announced. “That’s my sworn duty, lady.”

“If any of you attempt to help him, I’ll shoot him in the head.”

“No! You can’t do this, Lady Saeva,” Soliamare wailed, “Please let my boy go, he’s never done anything to wrong you.” 

“He dies tonight, and you three will be arrested for treason. How despicable, trying to overthrow the king. You all sicken me.” Saeva huffed. 

Prompto’s legs finally gave out, and he fell to the floor with a thud. The pain that shot through his limbs was excruciating, and he cried out. Looking over at his mother he wished he could hug her one last time. However, it appeared that Saeva had them truly beat this time. Racking his brain, Prompto tried to think of something he could do. 

Maybe if he kicked Saeva, she would drop the gun, and Nyx could warp over and subdue her. Prompto wasn’t sure he was able to move like that, as he could feel his body growing cold. He must have been losing a lot of blood for that to happen. Biting back a sob, he turned away from his mother and looked into the gloom beyond Saeva. 

That’s when something caught his eye. The dim shuddering movements of the others flashlights kept glinting off something small in the distance. Straining his eyes, he tried to make out the shape. Whatever he’d seen was moving towards him. Blinking slowly, he worked to focus his eyes, but now all he could see was two small reflections. His vision was blurring; this was epically bad. If he wanted to take down Saeva, he was losing time. He needed to act now or literally hold his peace forever.


	9. Sacrifices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis works to save Prompto, but will he make it in time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check out Latt's art piece for this fic [here!](https://twitter.com/Serenity279/status/1192670541959839745?s=20)

Following his nose, Ignis was able to detect which direction Prompto had gone inside the palace. “I can’t believe this is working,” he muttered, mostly to himself. 

Ardyn chose to comment, anyway. “Does he smell pleasant at least?”

“I’m not answering that.”

“Hmm, means he does. That’s good, at least.”

Ignis chose to ignore the reply as he continued to track Prompto’s progress. They had descended a pair of steps and were weaving through a maze of underground rooms. The omega’s scent was slowly changing. It was becoming increasingly distressed in nature. The situation was less than ideal, so Ignis could understand Prompto’s mental state. 

“Oh dear,” Arydn whispered from behind.

“What?”

“I can’t smell your sweet prince, but I can smell a very angry alpha nearby.”

Ignis’ mind immediately went to the new team member Nyx had mentioned earlier, “We’d better hurry.” An alarm sounded nearby, and Ignis turned to Ardyn. “We didn’t set that off did we?” he asked with wide eyes. 

“It’s only sounding in the main part of the building; I don’t think it has anything to do with us.” 

Continuing on, a decrepit metal door leading even further down soon appeared before them. “Oh, this is interesting.” Ardyn offered.

They had barely begun the trek into the darkness when a loud boom reached their ears. Not wasting another second, Ignis began running towards the sound. The feeling of dread beginning to overtake his mind was nearly paralyzing. When a loud voice reached his ears, he stumbled to an abrupt stop. Carefully turning his phone light off, he motioned for Ardyn to follow. 

The loud noise he’d heard a minute earlier had been a gunshot. He knew this with certainty. Lady Saeva was standing a mere twenty feet from him brandishing said smoking firearm. It was a powerful looking one that happened to be pointed directly at Prompto’s head. Ardyn’s firm grip on his arm kept Ignis from running to Prompto. The fair-haired prince was wobbling in place, and a growing red stain was spreading on his shirt. 

Thinking fast, Ignis worked through the possible scenarios of how to save his omega. Saeva was currently prattling on about treason without a care as to what was behind her. However, as Ignis edged closer, Prompto looked directly at him. He’d since fallen down, and the cry of agony he’d made was heart-wrenching. Freezing in place, Ignis waited to see what the blond would do. The younger man blinked slowly and seemed to be trying to push himself up. 

Time was indeed running out. Looking to Arydn, he gave a slight nod of his head, signaling the start of their ambush. 

Ignis took a deep breath and summoned his dagger. Without pause he hurled it at Saeva’s gun. The dagger knocked the weapon away from Prompto’s head. Before Saeva was able to correct her aim, Ardyn was standing directly in front of her. Having warped between Saeva and Prompto, he immediately grabbed her wrist and twisted it up. The pressure he was using caused Saeva to yell and drop the gun. 

“Who the hell are you?” she wailed. 

“I do believe we’ve met before, Lady Saeva,” Ardyn coolly replied despite Saeva’s hysterics over the situation. 

“No!” she screamed, “No, no, no!!”

Ignis watched in horror as she grabbed her own dagger from a hidden pocket in her jacket. The sound it made when she stabbed Ardyn in the chest was unnerving. What happened next was even more bizarre. 

Ardyn actually laughed, but the look on his face didn’t match the action, “Oh, I’ve been gravely wounded by the lady,” he whined dramatically. “Whatever shall I do.” Saeva tried to pull away from him, but Ardyn’s grip still held fast. Turning slightly, Ardyn pulled Saeva and himself towards the edge of the landing. 

The scream Saeva let loose when Ardyn tipped them both over was painful to listen to. Rushing forward to check the damage, Ignis saw that Ardyn had warped safely to the bottom. Saeva seemed intact and was still screaming. She took off running into the labyrinth of corridors as Ardyn calmly followed. 

Turning his full attention to Prompto, Ignis assessed the wound. It was still bleeding, and Prompto wasn’t able to focus his eyes very well. Nyx was suddenly beside him and checking the prince’s pulse. The young omega reached out an arm at the touch and kept trying to look at Ignis. 

Retrieving an elixir from the armiger, Ignis quickly broke the seal and handed it off to Nyx. Gently pulling Prompto away from the wall, Ignis cradled him against his chest. “The elixir.” He motioned with his hand. 

The sounds of Soliamare’s sobs echoed throughout the space as Ignis urged Prompto to drink. Nyx had resituated to check the bullet wound and sighed in relief when it had closed, “The bullet went clean through but he’s lost a lot of blood, Ignis. Do you think he’ll be okay?” Nyx asked. 

“We need to get back home so he can be properly treated. Can you get us across to the other side?”

Nyx nodded and then furrowed his brow. “Did you mean separately or together?”

Oh dear, that was an issue. Ignis really didn’t want to let go of Prompto, but he also knew that his mother wanted nothing more than to hug her son. “Take the prince first,” he sighed. 

“Igs – whas goi’n on?” Prompto asked a moment later. He’d been silent during the whole encounter so far. 

“You’re safe, Prompto. Nyx was about to take you to your mother.” 

At the mention of his mom, Prompto tried to sit up but failed and slumped back in Ignis’ arms. “Don’t go,” he begged, “Please don’t leave me.” 

“I’m not leaving you, Prompto. Nyx can’t warp us both at the same time. Do you understand?” 

The blond didn’t acknowledge his statement but started crying instead. Thinking fast, Ignis turned and called out to the queen. “Majesty, if you would be so kind as to comfort your son.” 

She obeyed and called out to Prompto. It appeared to work as he craned his neck to look. “Mum?”

“Dearest, please don’t fret. The nice glaive is going to carry you to me, and then he’ll bring Mr. Scientia next.” 

Prompto nodded faintly and looked back to Ignis. “Please don’t leave me,” he tried again. 

“Never. Now let Nyx help you to your mother. I’ll follow in a moment.” Ignis reluctantly let go of the young omega, closing his eyes to shield them from the burst of blue magic as Nyx took the blond and was gone again. Soliamare’s voice rang out she accepted her son and began showering him in motherly kisses. 

Nyx was back in a flash and appeared slightly flushed. “Are you alright?” Ignis asked.

The soldier nodded and smiled. “Warping on my own is one thing, but taking people is a little draining.” 

The sound of footsteps pounding down the secret corridor caught the advisors attention. “We must go,” he urged. Nyx wasn’t ready for another warp yet and soon enough a dark figure came into view. 

“Hold it right there!” the voice bellowed. 

“Drautos?!” Nyx exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” 

Ignis didn’t have the lax attitude Nyx did regarding the captain, and he drew his weapons from the armiger to defend himself. 

“Ignis, did she get you too?!” Drautos asked with worry as he stepped onto the landing. 

Realizing a little too late that he must have been covered in Prompto’s blood, Ignis lowered his weapons slightly. “It’s not mine. Saeva tried to kill Prompto,” he answered. 

“Shit! That fucking bitch is deadly,” Drautos fumed. “You can put the daggers away. I’m not the enemy.”

“Why are you here, sir?” Ignis asked, still wary of the man standing before him despite his affirmation of innocence. 

“Saving Alban from certain death!” Drautos huffed, “That crazy lady stabbed him in the back. I had to use a phoenix down to save his life, since she’d aimed for his heart!” 

“Who told you about Saeva?” Ignis pushed again, still not satisfied with the answers he was getting.

“Alban! Who else? He’s been telling me for a whole week that he thought she was plotting against him. I didn’t think she’d go after Prince Prompto as well.” Drautos paused and looked across the collapsed walkway. Grimacing, he looked back to Ignis. “Where is she?”

Ignis opened his mouth to answer, but a distant scream of terror filled the silence instead. “I believe Ardyn is handling the situation.” 

“Oh,” he muttered with a surprised look. “Nyx, warp me down there so I can go arrest her when Ardyn’s done.”

Nyx went to protest but Drautos put a hand on his shoulder and snapped his fingers to tell him to hurry up. Clearly, he didn’t care that Nyx was tired. Another bright flash of light and Nyx had safely deposited the captain on the ground. 

“Do you need a moment?” Ignis asked when Nyx was back and breathing heavily. 

He shook his head and grabbed Ignis. Nyx’s warp was very different from Ardyn’s. The magic was inherently the same, but the power behind them was vastly unequal. Ardyn made the act seem effortless, whereas Nyx was now panting from exhaustion on the ground. 

The woman Ignis had seen earlier sprang into action as she rushed to Nyx’s side and helped him up. “Nyxie, be careful with yourself,” she scolded, “We still have to make it to the airfield.”

“What did you just call me?” Nyx huffed in disbelief. “Nyxie?? Six! Ignis, save me. She’s an alpha, and she’s trying to get me,” the glaive whined. 

“I can see that,” he supplied while kneeling beside Soliamare. She was still tightly holding onto her son. “Prompto, are you pain?” Ignis asked. The blond shook his head and reached out to grab Ignis’ sleeve. 

“Don’t go,” he pleaded.

“I’m not leaving without you. I will need to carry you to the dropship, though. Are you alright with that?” The last thing he wanted to do was upset the poor omega any more. 

Prompto nodded and reached out again for Ignis. This action surprised him, since they still didn’t know each other very well. The queen even raised an eyebrow, and for a moment she hugged her son closer. 

“Mum, it’s alright. We can trust Ignis,” he offered weakly. 

“What do I need to do?” she asked with a determined look. She clearly wanted to believe her boy. 

Aranea left Nyx leaning up against a wall and came over to help. She and Soliamare were able to hold Prompto in a standing position as Ignis kneeled down. Since the prince was still conscious, he opted to carry him piggy back style. A fireman’s hold might be too disorienting for the omega.

After a few minutes, Prompto was situated, and they took off toward the airfield. Aranea hosted Nyx’s arm over her shoulder and led the way out into the darkness. The area was devoid of life, since it was now nearly four in the morning. The ten minute walk to the dropship was tiring. Prompto was lightweight, but carrying another human for any timeframe was exhausting. 

“What about your friend?” Soliamare asked once they’d made it to the tarmac. 

“I’ll call him if he doesn’t get here soon.”

“Aren’t you concerned? He was stabbed by Lady Saeva.”

Ignis laughed nervously. “He’s got potions and magic to heal his wounds. He’ll be fine.”

Nyx spoke up this time, “It looked like she got him in the heart. You sure he can handle that on his own?”

Grunting from the effort of climbing the ramp to the dropship, Ignis replied, “Trust me he’s fine. He’ll be here soon.”

Ignis never liked fielding questions about Ardyn. The man had his secrets. 

“What took you all so long?” an amused voice asked once they’d cleared the cargo bay area. 

“Hey! How’d you get here before us?” Nyx asked perplexed. “We saw you run off with a stab wound!”

Ardyn tsked and waved his hand. “I walk and heal fast.”

“Did Drautos find you?” Ignis asked as he headed for a long bench seat to deposit Prompto.

“Oh yes, we had a nice chat. He’s an interesting fellow.”

Interrupting again, Nyx steered Aranea over to sit nearby. “What did you end up doing to her?”

“Who?”

“Saeva,” Nyx responded dryly. 

“Oh, snaky. What exactly is it you want to know?” Ardyn queried.

Ignis was too tired to save Nyx from the never ending spiral of confusion he was about to get smothered in. Ardyn was never going to say what he’d done. Ignis knew he’d probably scared the shit out of her, which was enough in his book. Drautos would take care of the rest. King Alban trusted his friend immensely in that regard.

Ignis wanted to question the woman fawning over Nyx, but he didn’t have the mindset. He was focused on taking care of his omega. The urge to protect the young man before him was intense. Crouching down in front of the prince, he searched for other injuries. Prompto was leaning against his mother and blinking slowly. “Are we home yet?” he asked. 

Did Ignis hear that correctly? Did Prompto insinuate that being with Ignis was his new home? Ignis had to check. He couldn’t base that assumption off his own desires. “We are leaving your home in Niflheim, Prompto. We are traveling back to Lucis so you can start a new life.”

Prompto seemed distressed by that response and reached forward grabbing Ignis’ jacket. He managed to pull himself up and was shaking. “Niflheim was never my home. I – I want to be with you. Please?” he cried out. 

“Of course, that was my hope. I wish for you and your mother to be safe.” Ignis paused and waited to see if Prompto would add anything more. “Would you like to lie down and rest?”

Nodding emphatically, Prompto continued to lean forward until he was hugging the advisor. “I need you near me,” he whispered. 

Hugging the omega back, Ignis replied, “I feel the same way. Now, let’s get you better situated, shall we?” 

The remainder of the trip back to Lucis was spent with Prompto cradled to his chest. The omega’s feet were strewn out over his mother’s lap. She eventually dozed off with her head resting on Ignis’ shoulder. 

Ardyn was still having far too much fun with Nyx. Regis’ fake brother was currently curtailing his latest adventure in the citadel kitchens - none of which had anything to do with Saeva, but it didn’t stop Nyx from trying. He was a rebel himself, so it was no wonder he couldn’t help but attempt to mess with Ardyn. Little did Nyx know, Ardyn had been playing that game far longer than the glaive could have ever guessed. 

With a moment of relative peace, Ignis turned his attentions towards the mystery woman. “May I ask your name?”

“Aranea Highwind,” she offered smoothly.

“I trust you will be on your best behavior when we arrive?” questioned Ignis.

“Cross my heart. I have a new _ beta _, ya know.”

The influenced word caused Nyx to stop mid-conversation and groan. “I thought you’d stopped doing that. Be careful. You might wake up Prompto.”

Aranea covered her mouth and winked at Ignis. Poor Nyx was going to have his hands full with this alpha. She was smitten with the man, despite his best efforts to shoo her away. 

A faint hint of dawn was peeking through the clouds when they landed in Lucis. Ardyn was kind enough to rouse Soliamare. The queen looked worn out, but she seemed calm as Ardyn escorted her off the dropship. Nyx had recouped some of his energy and didn’t need to lean on Aranea anymore. The alpha seemed slightly upset by that development but followed after him with a smile.

Gathering Prompto’s sleeping form in his arms, Ignis made his way to the car that was waiting outside. The blond was exhausted and didn’t stir when being jostled into the backseat. The citadel was barely a fifteen minute drive from the airfield. They were in the home stretch and would all be resting soon. 

* * *

“He’s gonna get mad that we’re wait’n up for him,” Gladio supplied as they sat on the steps to the service entrance in the back of the citadel. 

“Why? I’m safe. We are still inside the citadel grounds. You’re with me. What’s there for Specs to get mad about?”

“Plenty. You not getting your beauty rest, for starters.” 

“Pfft, it’s fine. I’m up early for a change.” 

Gladio opened his mouth to continue the argument but gave up. “Yeah, good point,” he offered instead. 

“I see a car!” Noct exclaimed a second later. “I hope it’s them. Ignis’ text only said they’d landed.”

An official diplomatic limousine had pulled into the loading dock and came to a halt in front of them. Ignis was always one step ahead. Gladio knew he’d ordered the limo so everyone could fit in the vehicle together. He hoped his mission was successful; if his friend hadn’t succeeded in rescuing Prompto, then it would be heartbreaking. 

Ardyn exited first. “Did you miss us?” he quipped. 

“Did you get him?” Noct asked desperately in response. 

“You’ll have to ask Ignis.”

Gladio could tell that was not the answer Noct wanted. The prince scooted closer to the car in hopes of snagging a peek inside. However, Nyx and a strange lady got out next. Nyx immediately shuffled over to Ardyn and tried to hide behind the man. The stranger followed and latched onto the glaive’s arm. 

Gladio was about to ask what was going on when the queen of Niflheim stepped out. She looked tired and had obviously been crying recently. That did not bode well. Noct rushed over and bowed slightly to her. It was then that Gladio noticed the blood stains on her shirt. “Majesty! Are you injured?” Gladio asked as he stepped forward. 

The queen gasped slightly from the sudden attention and backed away. Gladio cursed his aggressive advance and held his hands up to calm the woman. She seemed to rethink her actions and nodded finally. “I am uninjured; it’s not my blood,” she admitted.

Not waiting another second, he ran to the door to check on the remaining occupants. Noct nearly pushed him out of the way as they crowded around the car door. Thank the six, Ignis and Prompto were both there. 

“Who’s injured?” Gladio asked quickly. He didn’t want to waste any more time guessing. 

“It’s Prompto, but I’ve used an elixir and hopefully now all he needs is rest,” Ignis answered while attempting to maneuver Prompto into his arms. 

“Can I help?” Gladio questioned softly. He knew Ignis wanted to take care of the omega, but it was clear he was struggling. 

Ignis sighed in reply and leaned back on his haunches. “I can do this,” he huffed.

“I know ya can, but I want to help. You’re better at getting all the other stuff set up.”

“What other stuff?”

“Where to sleep? What to wear? What to eat?” Gladio offered while counting things off on his hand, “I’m not good at coordinating all that, you are.”

Ignis looked away and took another deep breath. The advisor was at war with himself.

Taking a risk, Gladio slowly bent down and started to crawl into the car. Ignis turned back around and growled. There was a fire in his eyes, and Gladio’s heart ached for his friend. “Please, Iggy, let me help.”

His last attempt seemed to hit a nerve as Ignis finally relaxed his shoulders and nodded. “Sorry,” he murmured.

“Nothing to be sorry about. Now, let’s get your omega resting comfortably, okay?”

Gladio carefully lifted the unconscious youth in his arms and they all headed inside. Turning the first corner revealed an entire entourage of people waiting for them. Ignis plowed ahead toward them and didn’t stop walking. 

“Marshal Leonis, may I introduce Aranea Highwind,” Ignis announced with a wave of his hand. Turning slightly to face Aranea, the advisor continued, “I hope you won’t think me rude, but I had hoped you might wish to rest up before formal introductions are made.” 

Aranea nodded in response and drug Nyx over to walk behind the marshal. Cor extended his arm indicating for them to follow when a second corridor appeared. 

Even as they walked away Gladio could hear Aranea clear as day when she cooed, “Nyxie you didn’t tell me you knew Cor The Immortal.” 

Despite the noise that resulted from the combination of snorting and choking, it wasn’t difficult to figure out who’d made which sound. Nyx was still coughing in the distance as Ignis forged a path towards the royal guest quarters. 

Three other people remained glued to Ignis side as he quietly gave instructions. Gladio guessed one must have been from the kitchens, as they were furiously scribbling down items and rushed off a moment later. The other two looked like normal citadel employees. Ignis motioned for them to follow as they arrived to the suite. 

Pushing the doors open, Ignis stepped aside and let the queen, whom Ardyn was escorting, in first. Ignis tapped the shoulder of one of the employees and sent them over to speak with the queen. Gladio only saw them bow deeply and take out a notepad and measuring tape. Ah, tailors. That would make sense. Neither Prompto nor his mother had any clothes with them. The remaining employee followed Ignis down the hall but stopped short of the bedroom door. 

“Noctis, would you be a good sport and let the tailor measure you,” Ignis offered while holding the door open for Gladio to walk in with Prompto. 

“What for?!” he sputtered. 

“You are very similar in size to Prince Prompto. I need to get a small wardrobe started for him, and your help would be most appreciated.”

Gladio laughed to himself. Nothing motivated Noct more than praise. He could hear the prince agree eagerly as Ignis closed the door on them. 

“We need to get him changed,” Ignis supplied as he walked over to the bed and retrieved a brand new pair of pajamas that had been laid out.

“I told you: you’re better at all the coordination.” 

Ignis simply hummed in response and motioned for Gladio to place Prompto on the bed. However, it was in this exact moment that Prince Prompto began to wake up. 

Gladio could tell right away that Prompto didn’t know if he was safe or not. His scent was heavy with fear, so the shield began producing calming pheromones to help. Opting to hold him close, Gladio waited for Prompto to pry his eyes open. Ignis had caught a whiff of the scent and was standing next to him in a flash. 

“Prompto?” Ignis tried softly. “We are in Lucis, safe inside the citadel.” 

Finally the young omega opened his eyes. He stared at Ignis for a good minute before he realized that the advisor wasn’t actually holding him. Snapping his head up, Prompto stared at Gladio next. “You’re warm.” he whispered.

Unable to stop the grin from spreading across his features, Gladio beamed at Prompto. “That’s what Noct always says.” 

Prompto looked surprised, but without missing a beat, he asked, “Are you his alpha?”

“I will be soon.” Gladio admitted, “but it’s a secret for now.” 

“I have one too!” Prompto breathed out in a rush. “I dunno if mine is a secret or not,” he finished with a confused look. Turning back to Ignis, Prompto tried again. “Are you my secret alpha?”

Ignis looked so happy at what Prompto was babbling on about that it made Gladio smile even wider. “I believe I’m just your average alpha, Prompto. There is nothing secret going on.”

Prompto gasped at the response. “You’re not average. You saved me from snaky.” 

“She shouldn’t have picked on my omega,” Ignis supplied coolly. 

The blond in Gladio’s arms giggled at the comment and rested his head against his chest once more. “I’m tired.” 

“I know, Prompto. Gladio, won’t you set him on the bed, please.” 

Gladio had to grab the prince by his shoulders to keep him upright once he’d relinquished his hold. He was about to ask Ignis what was happening next when Noct came into the room. 

“Ah, perfect timing, Highness. If you would be so kind as to help your friend into his jammies, I would be forever grateful. Gladio and I will be waiting in the hallway.”

Prompto perked up at the comment and looked at Ignis, “You’ll be coming back right?”

“Yes, of course. I do wish to give you some privacy while you change, though.”

Gladio let go of Prompto, and he slumped forward slightly. Noct sprang into action and took over. “Hey, buddy. You okay with me helping you change? I can go get your mom, if you’d prefer.” 

Prompto shook his head and hugged Noct instead. “You’re my friend. I trust you.”

“Better hurry before he falls asleep in your arms.” Gladio laughed. 

Standing up and grabbing Ignis’ wrist, they both went out into the hallway. Hovering near the doorway proved amusing. The sounds of bubbling laughter and snorts could be heard clearly. “How can he still have enough energy to laugh like that?” Gladio questioned.

Ignis seemed to instantly sober at the comment, and he looked up at Gladio with worried eyes, “She shot him, Gladio. She intended to kill him just for being an omega.”

“He’s safe now. You did the right thing,” Gladio offered as he pulled his friend into a hug. A small squeak drew their attention when they pulled apart. 

“I didn’t know alphas could tolerate each other enough to hug.” The queen stated in shock. “Alban and his brothers do nothing but fight and growl at one another.”

Ardyn had shown the queen the way there and was standing behind her a few feet. “I have a feeling some things may be changing after tonight’s events, Soliamare.”

“Oh, I suppose.” She shuddered briefly and looked at Ignis directly. “Thank you for saving my son.” 

“Ardyn, did the dirty work, I’m afraid. Do thank him and not me,” Ignis replied.

“Nonsense. You had enough intuition to know things were escalating. Ardyn has already told me what he did to that horrible woman, and I am grateful to him for that.”

Gladio watched as Ignis gave Ardyn a look that was the silent version of ‘you did what?’ Arydn merely grinned in response and stayed silent. 

Before anyone could say more, the door behind them opened and Noct stuck his head out. “He’s changed and wants to see everybody.”

“Your hair’s a little messed up there, princess,” Gladio chided as they followed him back in. 

“Prompto kept making me fall over on the floor when I was helping him get his boots off.” 

The fair haired prince giggled at the comment. He was tucked into the bed with a large blanket covering him. “This is so warm.” When he spotted his mother, he got excited. “Mum! The beds are really comfy. Not like back in Niflheim.”

Soliamare walked over and sat down on the other side of the bed, “Yes, it is very nice. Dearest, why don’t you try and sleep. You need rest.” 

“M’kay,” Prompto murmured, “Can you and Ignis sit with me?” he asked with one final burst of energy. 

The queen looked over to Ignis, and he nodded in agreement. “Of course, dear. Anything to make you comfortable.”

“Oh! Um – Mr. Lucis Caelum, sir -- thanks for scaring the shit out of snaky for me.” 

Ardyn didn’t skip a beat and bowed to the Niflheimian prince. “Happy to be of service. Now, let us three take our leave so the young man can rest well.”

“I trust you will be going back to your room,” Ignis assumed as Noct walked past.

“Nah, we’re not leaving. We’ll be in the living room. I want to hear Ardyn’s side of the story,” Noct exclaimed as he waved bye to his friend and ran out down the hall. 

“Call us if you need anything,” Gladio added as he followed Ardyn out of the room. He was so happy they’d successfully rescued Prompto and his mother. Now to hear what exactly had happened. Ardyn was an excellent storyteller when he wanted to be. Gladio had a feeling they would get the full and accurate picture from Uncle Ardyn. 


	10. Guiding Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto recovers from his ordeal and gets to spend some more time with Ignis.

Waking up in a strange place should have been frightening, but it wasn’t. Prompto’s first conscious breath was filled with a calming scent, one that he now associated with Ignis. Opening his eyes revealed his mother sleeping beside him. She was curled up in a blanket and softly snoring. Looking to his other side, Prompto found Ignis. The alpha was asleep in a plush chair next to the bed. 

His glasses were gone, and it made his face look impossibly young. Prompto had always thought of Ignis as being the old, wise advisor. Staring at the man before him, the omega reconsidered that thought. Noct had told him that Ignis was a year younger than Gladio, and Gladio didn’t look old at all. 

Prompto still hadn’t figured out the odd pull he felt towards Ignis. Not wanting to sound like an idiot, he’d kept quiet about it for weeks. The alpha had the power to make him feel at ease, which Prompto didn’t think was even possible.

He wondered if Ignis had the same feelings towards him. Unsure if the man had come to rescue him at Noct’s bidding or due to his own volition, Prompto was afraid to ask. Without thinking, he reached out and touched Ignis’ knee. 

Ignis stirred and blinked his eyes open. “Are you in pain?” he asked immediately.

Shaking his head no, Prompto rolled over to see the advisor better. “No, but I feel sorta icky.”

“Mmm – would a bath help?” Ignis questioned, “If you’re comfortable with me getting one started for you.”

A bath did sound very nice, but he didn’t want to leave his mum alone. “Where is it?”

Ignis leaned forward and stretched, cracking several joints in the process, “Behind that door there,” he finished with a yawn. “We can leave the door open so it doesn’t feel so closed off.” 

“I’d like that. What should I do?”

“Try and sit up. I’ll go get the water started for you.” Ignis got up and quietly shuffled over to the bathroom. Prompto noted that he’d removed his shoes to be more comfortable. 

Following the alpha’s instructions, Prompto sat up slowly and swung his legs out from under the covers. The sound of running water was coming from the bathroom along with a wonderful fragrance. Ignis must have put something in the bath. 

For once, Prompto didn’t try to rush things, and he patiently waited for Ignis to come back. He looked more awake and had forgotten to replace his glasses. Unable to keep quiet, Prompto blurted out the first thing on his mind. “You look so different without glasses.” 

“Ah, yes, I forget they change my appearance. I trust the look is a good one?”

Prompto nodded like a dork and then blushed hard when he realized he essentially told Ignis he looked good.

“Ready for that bath?” Ignis asked, holding out his hand. “I assume you don’t mind me helping you in there, correct?”

“I don’t think I’ll make it otherwise,” Prompto offered, still blushing furiously. He took Ignis’ hand and tried not to put his whole weight on the man, but his legs were rubber. Ignis pulled him along for two steps before he opted to sling Prompto’s arm over his shoulder. The calming scent came back stronger, and Prompto took a deep breath. “You smell really good,” he admitted before he could stop himself.

Ignis snickered and smiled brightly. “I’m glad to hear it, Prompto. I don’t ever really desire to smell bad.”

Prompto giggled and relaxed a little. The arm Ignis had around his waist was strong and comforting. He felt safe. Once inside the bathroom Prompto noted the full tub complete with bubble bath. Ignis deposited him on the edge of the tub and made sure he would stay upright before he backed away.

“Will you be able to handle the rest? I’ll be outside sitting on the floor if you need me.”

A strange new feeling tugged at Prompto’s brain. The old Prompto wanted to be left alone, but now as he sat waiting for Ignis to turn and leave the room, he wished he would stay with him. Prompto could see Ignis’ long legs stretch out next to the door when he sat on the floor. He was more than a little dumbstruck by the idea that an alpha would willingly sit on the floor simply to make him feel better. 

Shaking himself back to reality, Prompto undressed and slid into the warm bath. It felt divine.

Ignis’ worried voice rang out a moment later. “Are you alright?”

“Mmmmnn, this feels so good,” he answered, unaware that he’d made a noise to begin with. Looking around the well-appointed space, Prompto noticed that Ignis had taken his jacket off when he’d made up the bath. It was resting over a towel bar nearby. Checking to make sure Ignis couldn’t see, he reached out and grabbed the item. Careful not to get it wet he buried his nose in the fabric. Ignis’ natural scent mixed with his cologne permeated the garment.

The scent made Prompto feel comforted. He had no desire to leave or do anything else. He merely wanted to be in Ignis’ company and exist.

“You’ve not fallen asleep in there, have you?” Ignis questioned after several minutes of silence.

Fearing he’d get caught with the coat, Prompto attempted to put it back on the towel bar. It sort of worked, but he knew he’d be found out the second Ignis came in later to tidy up, “Uh – I’m fine.”

Before Prompto could fret anymore about the coat, Ignis started up an easy conversation about pets. Prompto was able to enjoy the bath and carry on about his love of animals for the next twenty minutes. 

When the water started to lose its heat, Prompto searched around for the drain release. Ignis understood what was happening even though he couldn’t see and offered instructions on the location of the towels he’d left out. 

The alpha remained seated outside as Prompto dried off and dressed in a new set of sleepwear. Ignis truly had thought of everything. Balancing on the edge of the tub, Prompto debated about whether he needed help back to bed. He’d been tired before the bath, but the hot water had sapped what little energy he had left. 

“Ignis, um – I.” Prompto stalled. He didn’t know how to ask for help without sounding needy. 

The advisors kind voice replied, “Are you decent? Can I look now?”

“Yeah, for sure.”

Ignis leaned around the door frame and smiled. “Do you require assistance in getting back to the bed?”

Prompto nodded vigorously. “I still feel really tired.”

“Blood loss will have that effect, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right. That happened.” It wasn’t something Prompto had forgotten about, but he was trying to bury it in the back of his mind. Not thinking about Saeva helped him stay calm. He knew she wasn’t able to hurt him anymore, but that didn’t stop the fear from nearly strangling him. 

Ignis was now standing and again held out his hand for Prompto to accept. Smiling up at the alpha, he grabbed hold and threw his arm over Ignis’ shoulder like before.

“Do you feel better?”

“Definitely. How long did I sleep for, do you know?” Prompto asked as they slowly walked back to the bed. 

“A few hours at most. We arrived close to five a.m., and it’s nearly nine thirty now.” 

When Ignis lowered Prompto to the bed, his mother stirred. She snapped her eyes open and sat up quickly. “Oh! Is everything alright? Where’s Saeva?”

“Mum, it’s okay. We’re in Lucis, remember?”

Soliamare took a deep breath, leaped across the bed, and tackled Prompto in a hug. “My sweet boy, are you alright?” she asked, still hugging him tightly. 

Prompto wasn’t able to hold her up, and they both fell sideways onto the bed. “Mum! I’m okay; be gentle with me.” She kissed him on the forehead and struggled to right herself.

“Majesty, if you’d like to freshen up, I’ve had some clothes dropped off for you. They are on the dresser next to the restroom,” Ignis offered while bowing slightly. 

“Oh that does sound lovely, thank you --” she paused, struggling to find her next words.

Ignis seemed to understand right away and smiled, “Allow me to introduce myself properly: Ignis Scientia, advisor to the crown prince of Lucis. Please do call me Ignis, though.”

“Thank you so much for your help, Ignis. I don’t know how we would have survived that episode on our own.” 

“It wasn’t right to leave you both in such an inhospitable place. You deserve better,” Ignis replied, looking directly at Prompto. 

Prompto could feel his face grow flush from the comment, and he turned his head a second later to try and hide. 

Ignis cleared his throat to break the tension. “If you both would like, I can leave you alone to relax.”

“No!” Prompto blurted, causing his face to turn an even darker shade of red. “You can stay, please.”

Ignis chuckled and nodded. “Very well, but allow me to go and gather some food for you both. Prompto, you need to drink a lot of water and rest today.” 

Prompto agreed and rolled over so he could crawl back under the covers. Ignis continued to smile as he bowed again and turned to leave. He promised he’d return soon. 

The second the door had latched after Ignis exited his mother turned and stared at him wide eyed. “He’s perfect.”

“Do you think he likes me?” Prompto asked, hoping to hear his mother’s honest assessment. 

“Oh yes, dear. The way he looks at you and takes care of you. He’s so tender and sweet. Your father wasn’t even like that.”

“But stepdad was nice to you!” Prompto exclaimed. 

“Yes, he was, but in a different way. Ignis is gentle and caring; he clearly wants you to be comfortable.”

“I feel funny around him. I can’t explain it.” 

Soliamare tilted her head in confusion and reached out a hand to squeeze his shoulder. “What do you mean funny?” 

“Like – he’s an alpha, but I don’t feel scared of him anymore. I sorta get antsy if he’s not near me. Does that make sense?”

“Hmmm. I didn’t think it happened much anymore, but you may have imprinted on each other.”

Prompto forced himself to sit up and started wringing his hands. “Is that bad?”

“Oh no! Sweetheart, that’s good. It’s very rare is all. It’s nothing to worry about. It means you are both meant for each other.” 

Prompto repeated his mother’s words in his head - ‘meant for each other.’ That would explain why he felt so drawn to Ignis. He wasn’t allowed to dwell on the subject for much longer as a knock on the door signaled Ignis’ return. 

The food piled on the tray in Ignis’ arms made his mouth water instantly. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was. Ignis apologized several times for the lack of a proper place to eat, but his words were mostly ignored. His mother was happily eating and finally seemed to truly be relaxing. 

Deciding to try and be bold for once, Prompto reached out and grabbed Ignis’ arm. “Why don’t you sit with us and enjoy the food? Aren’t you hungry, too?”

Ignis stared at his pale, freckled hand on his arm. After a minute, he nodded and sat on the bed with them. Prompto didn’t remember falling asleep again, but the next time he opened his eyes, the room was quiet. The light pouring in through the windows cast soft shadows down the walls.

Noting that his mother was missing, Prompto looked around and found Ignis asleep in the chair once more. His phone was abandoned on his chest; clearly he’d been trying to work. The alpha looked so peaceful. Prompto simply wanted to lay there and stare at him. Exhaustion soon beckoned and caused his eyelids to droop. Within minutes, they’d closed again as he passed into the land of dreams. 

* * *

  
  
  


Ignis was gathering another blanket from the closet to cover Prompto when a soft knock at the door caught his attention. Peering over, he smiled when Soliamare poked her head into the room. 

“I wanted to check on him,” she announced, walking quietly to the bed. 

They both spread the blanket over Prompto as he slept. “I’d imagine he will still be tired for another day or two, but I believe the worst is behind him.”

“I had no idea things were going to end that way. If I’d known, I would have left with him ages ago.” She frowned. “He asked me to run away, and I said no.”

Ignis could see the path this conversation was going down. “Majesty, try not to focus on the ‘what ifs’. It’s not your fault this occurred.” 

Soliamare nodded and continued to pat her son’s head gently. “He’s a good boy. I’m happy he’ll have a chance to do something with his life now.”

The blond stirred slightly and cracked his vibrant blue eyes open. “Mum,” he mumbled groggily. “Wha’s happening?”

“Nothing terrible, dear. I’m going out for a tour of the citadel, and I wanted to tell you.”

The seemingly benign statement elicited a surprising reaction from Prompto. He sucked in a harsh breath and propped himself up on his elbows. “You shouldn’t go alone, mum. Can you wait for me to go with you?”

“Oh, listen to me. I’m so silly. Dearheart, no, I’m not going alone. Ardyn has offered to take me around.”

“Who?” Prompto squawked. “We don’t know--”

Soliamare interrupted gently, “Noctis’ uncle. You referred to him earlier as Mr. Lucis Caelum, I believe.”

Prompto scrunched up his brow in confusion as he thought. “Oh – OH! That guy! Yeah, sorry, I didn’t remember his first name. He’s cool. He got snaky to leave us alone.”

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone. Will you be alright here without me?”

“Mmm hmm.” The omega hummed at first. “Uh -- Ignis you’re staying, right?” he added a second later with a worried look. 

“Of course. If that would make you more comfortable, I’ll stay.”

Prompto nodded and smiled brightly at the statement as he flopped back down into the pillows. “Mum, do you know where Ardyn is taking you?”

“He mentioned viewing the empty guest suites to see which one you and I wanted to move into. I’ll let you know the one I like when I return, and then you can vote once you’ve seen them.”

Soliamare rose from her perch on the bed and kissed Prompto on the cheek. “Rest well, dear. I’ll be back soon.” 

The room was once again quiet after the queen left. Ignis began to tidy up as he prepared to watch over Prompto while he slept. The younger man had other ideas and shot upright again gasping. “Ignis, uh – I’m keeping you from work or something right?” he asked with wide eyes. “You shouldn’t stay with me if you have stuff to do. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for you to hav--.”

Raising his hands, Ignis shushed the poor omega. “It’s quite alright, Prompto. I have cleared my calendar and am not missing anything of importance.”

“But you have a job to do, and you help Noct with stuff. I’m ruining that!”

“You are not ruining anything, Prompto. Believe me when I say that I desire being here with you,” Ignis offered sincerely. 

“Okay, but please tell me if you need to go do anything. I don’t want to be the reason you get behind.” 

“I won’t get behind, I swear.”

Prompto nodded and eased back into the bed a second time. “What’s gonna happen next? I mean with me and my mom.”

“We are working to secure a permanent home for you both, along with anything else you need to feel comfortable.”

“Are there any jobs I can do here? I don’t have training in much, but I can learn,” Prompto asked with a pout.

“It appears your situation hasn’t been explained very well.” Ignis paused as Prompto looked on with concern. “It’s nothing to worry about, Prompto,” he added while reaching out to gently squeeze his foot under the covers. “You are a prince and that affords you certain rights. At the moment, you and your mother are political refugees seeking asylum.”

“Being a refugee isn’t a job, though. How will I pay for things?”

“Ahh, I believe the paperwork your mother had to retrieve will help with that. From what I understand, your step-father left your mother money.”

“Really?” the blond questioned with awe. “ I didn’t know that. She never said anything to me.”

“I suppose she didn’t feel the need to. She thought things would stay the same.” 

Prompto’s expression changed from curious to one full of fear. “Will my step brothers be mad we left? They can’t make me go back, right?”

“I can’t attest to their mental state, but I don’t believe they will be mad at you for leaving. As far as making you go back, that will never happen.” 

“You can’t be sure. They are mean.”

Working to control his emotions so Prompto wouldn’t see his raw anger, Ignis replied as calmly as he could. “I won’t let them.” Seeing the omega open his mouth for a rebuttal, Ignis tried again, “You have the full support of the Lucian crown behind you, Prompto. That includes the entire crownsguard, myself, Gladio, Noctis, Marshal Leonis, Nyx, the ki--.”

“Ok!” Prompto interrupted loudly, “I believe you!” He then started giggling.

The advisor had continued to count out silent people out on his hands despite Prompto stopping him. It appeared his determined yet pensive gaze at the ceiling was funny to the blond.

“Um – Ignis, when I feel better, do you think you could show me around?” 

Having finished up his antics, Ignis turned back to the bed and smiled. “Of course, I’d love to.” The look of joy on Prompto’s face was contagious. Ignis couldn’t help but grin back. This type of situation was new for him; actually, it was new for them both. That thought helped quell his fears about doing something wrong. 

The next hour went by easily as they talked about life. Ignis filled the blond in on his childhood and growing up beside Noctis. Some stories would make Prompto laugh. Soon realizing Ignis craved this sound, he racked his brain for anything funny he could think to tell the omega. When Prompto started attempting to hide his yawns, Ignis knew it was time to let him sleep. 

Promising to stay nearby, Ignis settled in his chair by the bed and began catching up with his emails. The thought of getting to spend more time Prompto kept invading his thoughts. He’d never felt this excited about something before. 


	11. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto's anxiety gets the better of him.

“What should I wear?” Prompto asked with worry as he sat precariously balanced on the edge of his bed. 

“Dude, what you normally wear,” Noct answered with a snort. “It’s not like you should wear a suit or anything. You’re going on a picnic in the gardens.” 

“I know, but what if he doesn’t think I look good?”

Noct pinched the bridge of his nose. “Seriously, I thought the whole purpose of you suggesting a picnic was because it was laid back!“

“Yeah but –” Prompto stalled out and squinted at Noct. “Ya know, you look like Ignis when you do that.”

“He’s been my advisor for like five hundred years, man. Of course, I copy his mannerisms.” Noct huffed. “You should see me in a council meeting. If I get mad, I look like a mini Iggy.”

Prompto burst out laughing at the image and flopped backwards on the bed. “Aw, buddy, I’m so screwed,” he announced nervously once his fit of giggles had died down.

“Why?!” Noct exclaimed. “He clearly likes you. What’s the issue?”

“That is the issue! He likes me and what if – what if I’m not good enough for him,” Prompto stammered. 

Noct raised his hands dramatically. “He bent several international diplomacy rules, sent you a glaive as a personal escort, left Lucis with intent to maim and destroy, and rescued you. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“No, I do! We didn’t know each other hardly at all, and we still don’t. It’s only been two weeks since we escaped from snaky,” Prompto wailed. “What if he gets to know me and then realizes I’m not worth the trouble.” 

“If you don’t pick something to wear in the next minute, I’m calling Ignis for help.”

Prompto squealed in terror and leapt off his bed. Leave it to Noct to find the perfect motivation. He didn’t have many articles of clothing to dig through, so he grabbed what caught his eye first. A nice pair of jeans and a light weight sweater completed his look. “There, how’s this?” he asked with wide eyes.

“Perfect – and Prompto?” Noct ventured as he waited for the omega’s full attention. “You’re worth it. Don’t ever think differently.” 

  


* * *

“You are not going back to change shirts  _ again _ , are you?” Gladio asked in disbelief. 

“This one has a wrinkle,” Ignis offered as he breezed past his friend and back into his closet.

“You are going to run out of shirts if you keep this up,” the older alpha grumbled.

“I heard that!”

“It’s a picnic, Iggy. You can handle a simple picnic right?”

“Of course I can! I merely want the whole experience to be perfect for Prompto.”

“And a wrinkle in your shirt prevents this date from being perfect?”

“Astrals! Gladio dear six, this is a date isn’t it?” Ignis breathed as he walked out of the closet donning shirt number five. 

“What did you think it was?”

“A picnic. A neutral gathering where we might get to know more about each other!” Ignis enthused as he started pacing. “I have no idea if he wants to be with me or not. I don’t want him to feel obligated, since I helped him escape Niflheim.”

“Calm down, there. Stop overthinking things. Go to this neutral gathering, as you call it, and have fun,” Gladio offered with a smile. 

“That’s far too easy, Gladio.”

“Yeah, it’s supposed to be easy like that. Both parties eat, talk, maybe kiss.”

Gasping in realization, Ignis turned to Gladio. “Don’t let me forget to brush my teeth again.”

The shield couldn’t help but laugh. “You could always bring a bottle of mouthwash with you.”

“Oh, stop being silly. They make pocket packs of breath strips for that sort of thing.” Ignis then began digging through his bedside table looking for said product. 

Gladio wasn’t able to stop Ignis from changing his shirt a sixth time. He did manage to talk him out of attempting to bake a last minute cake. Ignis was the type of person that needed something to occupy his mind if he was nervous. 

The appointed time arrived, and Gladio stood up to give his friend a hug. “You’ll do great. Go have fun, and make your date laugh.”

Ignis groaned as he grabbed his jacket. “I don’t know if I’m able to be funny on command.”

“It’ll be fine. Just tell blondie funny Noct stories. That always works when I’m trying to get Sana to laugh.”

“Is she still looking forward to moving here?” Ignis asked curiously.

“Yeah, she can’t wait. She’s looking forward to having an official pack.”

“I’m hoping she and Prompto are able to make a connection. They are both omega’s after all.”

“She’s mentioned the same thing, so we will have to wait and see how it plays out. Now stop getting distracted, and go pick up your omega!” Gladio announced as he shoved Ignis towards the door. “He’ll think you don’t like him if you’re late.”

The look of horror on Ignis face was comical. He barely paused to lock his front door before sprinting down the corridor. “I’ll call you later,” he shouted as he disappeared into the stairwell. 

Gladio shook his head in amusement. It was fun to see Ignis so excited by something. Taking out his phone, he texted Noct to see what takeout he wanted for  _ their _ secret dinner date. He knew he’d get the other half of the story from the prince. There was no way Prompto wasn’t a nervous mess like Ignis. It just wasn’t possible! 

* * *

Adopting a normal pace once he determined he wouldn’t be late, Ignis tried not to worry about his date. It had been a couple of weeks since the dramatic rescue. Prompto had taken a few days to recover from the ordeal. Ignis knew that mentally Prompto would need time, but at least physically he was on the mend. 

Soliamare and Prompto had agreed on which guest suite they liked and had moved in a week ago. The queen had been adjusting quite well, all things considered. Ardyn seemed to have taken a shine to the demure beta. Anytime Ignis asked what he was up to, the reply involved plans with Soliamare. Ignis warned him not to start anything he didn’t have intentions of seeing through. Ardyn had rolled his eyes at the advisor and assured him he meant well. Apparently the queen was happy to simply be in his company. 

A soft grunt stopped his daydreaming, and Ignis turned around to seek out the source of the noise. Nothing stood out as being odd, but he stayed still and continued to look around. It took a second to realize that the giant potted plant nearby had a person hiding behind it. Not wasting any time, Ignis summoned his daggers and approached cautiously.

A familiar voice called out to him urgently, “Ignis, it’s me.”

Frowning, Ignis moved closer to get a better look. He was so confused; Nyx Ulric was standing before him holding a leaf in front of his face. “What are you doing?” he asked, dismissing his weapons.

“Hiding from Aranea!” he huffed. “Quiet, she’ll hear us talking and find me.”

“Nyx, she will most likely be able to locate you due to your scent.” 

The beta looked stunned and moved to lean out and check the corridor. “Alpha’s can smell things like that, huh?”

“Yes, I’m afraid we can,” Ignis offered as he inhaled deeply. “She’s not harassing you, is she?” he asked carefully. Aranea’s scent was also mixed with Nyx’s. She’d clearly attempted to mark him recently. “If she is behaving in an uncouth manner, we need to report this to Cor.”

“No! It’s not like that, Ignis,” Nyx frantically corrected. “She’s just really – intense.”

Unable to process what that meant, Ignis blinked slowly at the glaive. “Do you need my assistance with anything at this time? Am I alright to leave you alone with your plant?” 

Nyx nodded and slipped back into his original position. Left to continue on his way, Ignis could only wonder what the rest of the day would hold for Nyx. Aranea was a very forward alpha, and she’d made it obvious she wanted to be with the beta. It seemed Nyx may be having second thoughts. 

Prompto’s suite soon appeared, and Ignis stopped thinking about his odd encounter. Taking a deep breath, he approached the door and knocked. The sounds of muffled voices and something falling were the only indication of life. The door remained closed and unanswered as Ignis stood and began to worry. Perhaps agreeing to go out in public with Prompto was too much for the omega. They’d been able to hang out but always with other people Prompto trusted nearby. 

Ignis had been very careful to ensure Prompto wouldn’t feel trapped or unsafe. This time it was different. Prompto would be leaving the suite alone with Ignis. Finally the door unlocked and opened to reveal Noct. “Hey, specs. Sorry, you need to come talk to him.”

Instantly, Ignis’ dreams of a pleasant afternoon in the citadel gardens were dashed. Prompto was too nervous to come out with him. “Very well, I suppose this is to be expected,” he added sadly. 

“Huh?” Noct questioned. “Ignis, he thinks his outfit is stupid-looking. You need to talk him out of changing.” 

Perking up at hearing he wasn’t being turned down, Ignis followed Noct towards Prompto’s room. The omega shrieked when Noct pushed open the door. Ignis had stayed outside the room. He didn’t want to invade his privacy if he was unwanted.

“Noct! What happened? He didn’t leave, did he?!” Prompto wailed. “I ghost him for two weeks when he first texts me, and now I can’t even answer my front door!” 

Ignis couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like Prompto was having a panic attack. His breaths were labored, and he’d stopped talking. Noct calling for him confirmed his suspicions. Rushing into the room, Ignis saw Prompto slumped on the floor next to his bed. He was gasping for air and trying to say something to Noct. 

“I’m still here. There’s no need to worry,” Ignis offered as he gracefully sank to the floor next to Prompto. Expecting the omega to shy away, Ignis was surprised when the younger man tackled him for a hug. 

“Thank the six!” he breathed softly. “I thought I’d screwed this all up again.”

Ignis wrapped his arms around the shaking omega and pulled him close. “No, you’ve not screwed anything up. Not now nor in the past,” he replied. “Relax and focus on breathing.”

Prompto squeezed harder and buried his head in Ignis shoulder. “Thank you.”

Noct, who never liked public displays of affection, took the time to try and ruin the mood. “Specs, his outfit looks fine, right?”

Deciding to ignore the prince’s tactics, Ignis replied, “Prompto looks nice all the time.” The blond in his arms giggled, and his breath tickled Ignis’ collarbone. “Would you still like to go the gardens?”

Prompto nodded but remained silent. Waiting another few minutes for him to fully calm down, Ignis slowly released his grip.

Noct couldn’t help but groan at the display before him. “Are you both done being gross?” 

“You don’t like cuddling with Gladio?” Prompto asked with wide eyes. 

“Yeah, I like it, but not all the time. When I turn twenty in another month our third pack mate will move in. Gladio will get to smother them with cuddles whenever he wants.”

“Third pack mate?”

“Sana. She’s an omega like you,” Noct supplied with little fanfare.

Ignis thought Prompto’s eyes were going to bulge out of his head at the news. He looked over to Ignis with hope. “Is it true. She’s like me?”

“Yes, we are all hoping you both will get along. Unfortunately, you can’t meet in person until Noct’s party.”

“Right, it’s a secret. I remember Gladio mentioning that.”

Prompto’s face flushed slightly at the memory, and Ignis wondered if he recalled everything he’d said that night. 

“Ok, so back to the issue at hand,” Noct sighed. “You both look fine. Will you go have your picnic, already!” 

Looking at the blond, Ignis waited for a reaction. Prompto smiled brightly and stood up, “okay, I’m ready. Sorry for being so silly.”

“You’re not being silly,” Ignis corrected as he waited for Prompto to lead the way. The three of them left the suite a moment later. Noct went the opposite way back to his apartments. “Noct thinks he’s sneaky, but he’s terrible at it,” Ignis conceded once they were out of earshot. 

“What’s his deal? He seemed like he was in a hurry,” Prompto asked quietly.

“He’s got a date with Gladio tonight, except he thinks none of us know about it.”

“But he said he didn’t like to cuddle, so why would he go on a date?”

“He enjoys certain things in private. He’s not your typical teenager.”

“Oh,” Prompto mumbled. “Um – so I know we are going on a picnic, but where’s all the stuff?” he asked with a pout. “I didn’t eat, and we don’t even have a blanket.”

“I’ve had the citadel chef prepare us something for the occasion. We simply need to swing by the kitchens and retrieve it,” Ignis replied with a smile. “As far as the blanket, I’ve instructed the groundskeepers to clear us a space and leave one out for us.”

“Wow, that’s awesome,” Prompto enthused. “Noct said you were doing something special.” 

“I don’t normally abuse my position as Noct’s advisor, but I figured every once and awhile wouldn’t cause too much harm.”

This statement made Prompto grin widely. “So that means you like me.” The blush that instantly starting creeping up the blond’s neck meant he’d not wanted to blurt that out. “Uh, I guess, or I mean, I hope.”

Ignis raised his hand to stop Prompto from continuing, “I like you a lot.”

The omega released a breath and bumped shoulders with him. “Thank the six. I was so worried. I didn’t want to be bothering you if you didn’t want to be around me.”

“Prompto, you are not bothering me. Please believe me when I say I truly desire to be in your company.”

The poor omega’s blush deepened, and he ducked his head to try and hide it. “Okay,” he offered meekly, “and just so you know, I really like you too.”

Unable to stop the smile spreading across his face, Ignis felt relieved to hear his advances were welcomed. What happened next really melted his heart. 

Prompto was fidgeting and cleared his throat. “Ignis, do you think we could hold hands?”

Choosing to extend his arm as an answer, Ignis watched Prompto bounce excitedly before he linked hands. They stayed like that even after Ignis retrieved their picnic basket from the kitchens. The walk to the gardens was quiet; it seemed they both were enjoying the calm of being alone together. 

Once Prompto could see the blanket that had been left out for them he tugged Ignis along faster. “It was always too cold to have a picnic in Niflheim.”

Ignis thought for a moment. “Does that mean this will be your first one?”

Prompto nodded enthusiastically as he sat down, pulling Ignis with him. “Yeah, so I want it to be amazing.”

Ignis hoped he was able to deliver on Prompto’s request. He didn’t picnic enough to know what was considered amazing. However, the permanent smile on the omega’s face made him think he was doing something right. 

Their meal consisted of small sandwiches and other finger foods. Ignis made a mental note to personally thank the chef for a wonderfully prepared meal. It had taken a lot of convincing on Gladio and Noct’s part to allow someone else to cook for them. Gladio had driven the final nail when he mentioned Ignis might not be focused on Prompto if he was busy worrying about the food.

It seemed Gladio had a point, since he could barely dress himself for this date, let alone cook. He supposed this was one of the few downfalls of being a perfectionist. Ignis hoped their date would go well, and he would be able to showcase his cooking skills at a later time. Things were going smoothly, and Prompto was relaxing as the afternoon progressed.

The location Ignis had selected in the gardens was shaded and on a slight hill. They had a view of the entire garden but the tree they were under offered privacy. This was important; Ignis didn’t want the omega to be nervous. He still wasn’t sure how Prompto felt about other alphas. 

Ignis didn’t have time to dwell on the topic when Prompto gasped suddenly. Following the blonds line of sight revealed a tiny animal. One of the resident garden cats was trotting over.

“Does it bite?” Prompto asked in a hushed tone.

Ignis didn’t really know if the cat would bite. “Perhaps if you let him approach first, it would be best.” 

The cat took up residence in Prompto’s lap after a few tentative sniffs. It didn’t take long before animal started purring happily at the attention it was getting. The omega clearly had a deep love for animals. A vision of a shared apartment with Prompto and a cat flooded his senses. The desire to make this young man feel safe and happy was strong. 

They spent another hour relaxing and talking about anything that came to mind. Ignis learned Prompto liked photography but never had the nerve to go out alone and take pictures. Vowing to change that circumstance, Ignis listened intently as Prompto told him all about the things he wanted to photograph. 

When Prompto was finished, Ignis couldn’t help but say what he’d been thinking the whole time. “I’d be more than happy to take you around if you wish to pursue your photography,” he offered humbly. 

“Really?! That’d be so cool. I never left the house much in Niflheim. I didn’t want to get harassed, but if you’re with me, it’ll be different.”

Ignis had to bite his tongue. He desperately wanted to tell Prompto he’d be with him forever if he wished it. The pull the omega had on him was undeniable. Ignis wondered if Prompto felt the same way. Deciding to be brave, he took a steadying breath and worked on how he wanted to phrase his question.

He didn’t get the chance. A noise in a nearby bush caused the cat in Prompto’s lap to perk up in curiosity. A second later it had bolted over to investigate. Prompto seemed both disappointed and fascinated by the current turn of events. 

A familiar scent soon wafted over and Ignis rolled his eyes. “Nyx, I told you she will smell you.”

“I know that!” the glaive hissed loudly. 

“Who are you hiding from, Nyx?” Prompto asked with worry. 

“Forgive me for being blunt, but he’s hiding from Aranea so she won’t bite him.” 

Prompto’s eyes went wide. “Wha? I thought you liked her, though,” he retorted, staring at the bush. 

Nyx moved slightly so they could see him better. “I do, Prompto, but I’m not used to the attention.”

“Oh, so she is harassing you. I understand that.”

The mood was starting to change, and Ignis racked his brain for what to say that might help the situation. Nyx thankfully beat him to it.

“Hey, no, no. That’s not it at all, Prompto. If she was really harassing me, I would report it to my superior officer, and they would work to make it stop,” Nyx corrected quickly. “When I say I’m not used to the attention, all I means is I’m not sure I’m ready for a mate.” 

“Why not? Having a mate sounds really nice,” the blond hummed. “They are always there to support you and give you a hug if you are sad. I think having a mate would be really cool.”

Nyx smiled at the response. “I agree with that, but I’m not sure Aranea has read the same guide book on having a mate.”

Ignis couldn’t help but snicker at the remark. Alphas females were a mixed bag. Sometimes they displayed more beta like traits and other times they were like Aranea. Bold, loud, and fully aware of what they want.

“Well, then tell her what you want,” Prompto added sincerely.

Nyx opened his mouth to reply but stopped. It seemed Prompto’s simple statement had him thinking. After a minute, he found his voice. “I think I might try that. She’s gotta catch me first though.”

As if on cue, a voice rang out from close by. It was Aranea. She was calling for Nyx and using the nickname he obviously hated with a passion. Cor had even started calling him Nyxie for fun. 

“Thanks for the advice, Prompto. I’ll catch you guys later.” Nyx huffed as he crouched down and continued to scurry along the wall behind the bush. 

Ignis waited to see if Aranea would grace them with her presence. Her commanding figure soon glided into view. She waved and continued on the way Nyx had gone. 

“How does she know where he’s going?” Prompto asked softly.

“She’s an alpha; she can smell other people’s scent profiles to track them.”

“Did you do that when you and Ardyn came to rescue me?”

“Ardyn suggested it, and I quite frankly thought he was crazy.” Pausing to remember the incident, Ignis was so grateful he’d been wrong. “However, as you have correctly guessed, I did locate your scent to follow that evening.” 

“Alban tried to call me yesterday,” the omega added with a frown. “I got scared and didn’t answer the phone.”

“Did he try and call you back? I can put a stop to that if you don’t want him to contact you.”

Prompto shook his head and smiled. “No, it’s alright. He just left me a message, and he wasn’t angry at all. He wanted to make sure I was okay, and he --.”

Ignis could see Prompto was struggling with the next part of the story. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s not that. I didn’t realize me almost dying would make him worry. He never seemed to care before.”

“I believe for the first time he may have been able to understand how you felt. You both were targeted and nearly died. That can change a person.”

Nodding, Prompto sighed heavily. Ignis could tell he was affected by the turn in conversation. He wished it was possible to take away his pain. Prompto needed time, and Ignis hoped the omega would turn to him in the future for support. 

“Thank you for helping me start a new life, Ignis. I don’t know what would have happened to me if you didn’t show up in my life.”

“I would like to remind you that us meeting was entirely your doing. So do thank yourself for being brave enough to face the world in search of something better.” That statement finally brought back the bright smile Ignis was getting used to seeing. 

“Um, I know it’s a little ways off, but do you want to go to Noct’s birthday gala with me?”

“I would be delighted to go with you. However, I must apologize in advance, since I will be working at the same time,” Ignis lamented. 

“Oh, that’s right! You organize the whole party and make sure it’s all running smoothly. I don’t mind so long as I won’t get in your way.”

“I would love to have you with me, and for the brief moments when I must attend to something, I know that Gladio and Noct would keep you company.” 

“Oh emm gee, this is the first party I’m actually excited to go to!” Prompto exclaimed. 

“I suppose that means a visit to the royal tailor is in order,” Ignis announced calmly.

Prompto grinned and then held out hands as if he’d been struck by an idea. “My mum is gonna flip; she will get to wear a gown. Can she come to the tailor, too?”

Ignis nodded and watched as the omega practically vibrated in place. They had another month before Noct’s twentieth birthday, and Ignis already had ideas for their next date. He’d been a little worried they might not go out again. Prompto asking to be his date at Noct’s party removed any last worries. Ignis was officially courting an omega and loving every minute of it. 


	12. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which even more things happen and I can't say too much cause I'll give it all away!

“Sana, it’s much easier for me to have Gladio come see you here,” Ignis pleaded. The omega was in a state and wanted to see her pack. Due to some ancient useless law, Noct wasn’t allowed to court someone of his choosing until after his twentieth birthday. “I’d prefer to minimize the risk of you being seen by having you stay in your rooms until tomorrow.” Ignis didn’t want the council to have any excuse to ruin what they’d worked so hard to achieve.

“It’s not fair!” she wailed. “I’ve been waiting forever, and I all I want is a hug.”

“It’s Gladio or nothing, I’m afraid.” 

“Ignis, forgive me for being crass, but if Gladio shows up, we will end up doing way more than hugging. Noct is neutral; he doesn’t like that sort of thing. I can give him just a hug.”

“Not happening,” Ignis replied dryly. “I understand your frustration, but you must wait.”

Sana seemed to have a response planned out but faltered. “You are the one person I can’t argue this point with. You had to rescue Prompto from a crazy lady that tried to kill him.”

“Speaking of Prompto, he wishes to meet you.”

“I suppose that would help distract me. Say, Ignis, when do I get to ditch the nickname?”

“The very minute Noct turns twenty, my dear,” Ignis offered with a smile. “I’ve got everything all planned out.”

“Can you tell me what you designed for the big reveal?”

“No, it’s a surprise.” 

Sana rolled her eyes. “You’re enjoying this aren’t you? Throwing your big ole alpha weight around, doing whatever you please.”

Ignis would have thought she was being serious, but her mannerisms were far too exaggerated. He was unable to stop laughing when she imitated his habitual readjustment of his glasses mid-rant. “So do you want to meet my omega?” Ignis asked once she’d stopped parading around the sitting room. 

This caught her attention right away. “Awww, that’s so sweet; you’re already calling him your omega! Is he excited to have a mate, finally?” 

“I hope so. Nothing is official yet, but this past month has been amazing.” Ignis couldn’t help but grin at the thought. “I’ve got something special planned for us after Noct’s announcement tomorrow. It’s a surprise, so please don’t tell him.”

“I’m dying from excitement over here, Ignis! That is so wonderful!” she squealed, clapping her hands.

“He could still turn me down, so don’t get your hopes up yet. If you catch me trying to leap off a building in a few days, then it didn’t go well.”

“Pffft, you’re perfect, Ignis. Stop worrying. Anytime Gladio invited you to be a part of our pack, we meant it. I know it will work out fine, but if it doesn’t --” Sana winked as she wiggled her eyebrows.

Shaking his head, Ignis snorted at the gesture. “I will keep that in mind, and thank you for your vote of confidence. It means a lot.” 

* * *

“I’m not going to get in trouble for doing this, right?” Prompto questioned again worriedly. 

“No!” Gladio and Noct both exclaimed as they walked down the corridor to the party. 

“I’ve never had an escort to anything in my life. I’m nervous, guys. Sorry!”

“Stop worrying. Gladio is my shield, and you’re a prince like me. It makes perfect sense for you to arrive at the party with us.”

Prompto hadn’t thought about it that way before and pursed his lips as he tried to come up with a rebuttal. Nothing else came to mind, so he gave up and followed along behind Gladio. The shield was dressed in his formal robes and looked amazing. Noct had on his perfectly tailored suit with his royal insignias and chains adorning the shoulders.

Tugging at his own suit, Prompto couldn’t help but smile. Ignis had set up everything: a suit for him and a gown for his mother. She’d been so excited to pick out the fabric and describe what she wanted to the tailor. Prompto hadn’t seen his mother this happy in a long time. 

This was also the first event where Prompto didn’t have to escort his own mother. She had her own date. Ardyn had become a stable fixture around their apartments at the citadel over the past month. They were always talking about this and that, and his mother had started laughing more. He’d almost forgotten that she used to laugh frequently before his step-father had passed.

Life had changed for the better, and Prompto had Ignis to thank for it all. He desperately wanted to tell the alpha how he felt, but he was always too nervous. Prompto couldn’t think of what life would be like without him, and he hoped he never would. 

Tonight was a big night. Noct was turning twenty, and he would get to announce his pack in a few short hours. Prompto was admittedly a little jealous. Gladio was a catch as an alpha, and their super-sweet omega he’d met the day before was perfect. The three of them would make a wonderful pack. Prompto wished he was brave enough to ask Ignis to be his alpha. 

Ignis had apologized profusely for being unable to arrive at the party with him. The advisor had a lot of little details he was attending to but promised he would be free of his duties right after Noct’s speech. The idea of having Ignis all to himself later that night was exciting, though he was worried he wouldn’t have enough courage to confess his true feelings. 

Despite nearly having an anxiety attack the minute they’d been announced, Prompto was enjoying himself. The grand hall at the citadel had been decorated beautifully and everyone looked absolutely stunning. 

He’d managed to stay glued to Noct’s side as they wandered the hall. The fear that someone would tell him he couldn’t accompany his friend ran rampant through Prompto’s mind. He was a lowly prince never to be crowned king. What business did he have with the future king of Lucis?

However, based off the way Gladio was standing next to him, he doubted anyone would try and say something. The shield did a good job keeping people at bay unless Noct nodded his approval. Two large alpha diplomats came over at one point, and Prompto ducked behind Gladio out of habit. The shield didn’t push him away, thankfully, and even began pushing out a calming scent to help him relax. 

Having an alpha treat him with respect was a whole new experience for Prompto. Even with Ignis doing nothing but nice things for him for the past month, he still felt uneasy when dealing with other alphas. It wasn’t until at least an hour after they’d arrived that the omega caught a glimpse of Ignis. 

He was practically running along the side of the room with a look of determination. Clearly he was on a mission. It took a moment for Prompto to realize Gladio was talking to him, as he was still staring at Ignis. 

“Highness? Prince Prompto?” Gladio paused for a second and tried again in a hushed tone. “Eos to blondie?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I saw Ignis and got distracted,” he replied, only realizing once he’d finished speaking that he must have sounded ridiculous. 

Gladio flashed him a bright smile and winked. “Nothing wrong with that.”

Blushing furiously, Prompto groaned and stared at the floor. Gladio was nice enough to take pity on him and didn’t continue his teasing.

“Noct and I need to go up for the announcement. I’ve arranged for Nyx to be with you until Ignis can come by when we finish,” Gladio offered. “Will you be okay?”

Looking around quickly, Prompto spotted Nyx and Aranea standing nearby. She was holding his hand and looked completely smitten. Nyx still had an aloof air to his demeanor, but Prompto could tell he was enjoying the attention. “Will Aranea help, too, if something bad happens?”

“Yeah, she’s a good trained fighter. Between Nyx and her, you’re in good hands.”

Taking a deep breath, Prompto nodded his approval. Gladio waved the pair over, and they took their place as his bodyguards. Nyx greeted him with a broad grin, and Aranea wriggled her eyebrows at him. Unable to stop the giggle from escaping his lips at the silly sight, Prompto scooted in behind them. He felt safer and still had a good view of the podium where the announcement would be made.

Scanning the room revealed his mother and Ardyn, arm in arm and having an in-depth discussion. Prompto suspected they were gossiping about the guests. Ignis had informed him that it was a favorite past time for Ardyn to observe his fellow citizens. It appeared his mother also enjoyed this activity as she was laughing at whatever Ardyn pointed out.

The crackling pop of a microphone snapped Prompto’s attention back to the podium. Noct and Gladio were standing next to the king awaiting the announcement. They were all looking to Ignis, who was taking his place at the podium. His smooth, accented voice filled the room a moment later. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for attending Prince Noctis’ twentieth birthday celebration on this beautiful evening.” He paused to allow the sudden rush of clapping to die down. “We are thrilled to have you all in attendance and here to enjoy this momentous occasion.” Ignis smiled and scanned the room as he again waited for the clapping to cease. 

Prompto was able to catch his eye for a second, and he practically melted when Ignis acknowledged him with a small nod. Bouncing slightly on his feet, Prompto waited for Ignis to continue. 

The advisor cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “I know many of you have been wondering who Prince Noctis will choose as his mate.” The murmurs of curiosity instantly began echoing throughout the hall. “I believe today marks the perfect time to announce such an engagement.” The crowd was growing louder by the second. Ignis seemed to enjoy having the power to control them and held up his hand to silence the ruckus. “And so, with absolute joy, I would like to announce Prince Noctis’ new mates.”

Prompto wasn’t sure what to expect. The moment Ignis uttered the word mates with an s, the crowd erupted in a chorus of squeals, essentially cutting the advisor off. 

A few taps to the microphone quieted the excited guests, and Ignis continued. “Allow me to introduce Prince Noctis’ mates, Lord Gladiolus Amicitia and Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.” He gestured behind the crowd with a wave of his hand. 

Turning quickly Prompto caught sight of Sana standing dressed up in a gown at the other end of the hall. Forehead wrinkling in confusion, he realized he could call Sana by her real name now. Their secret was out. 

Prompto was envious of the omega’s ability to walk through the entire crowd. All eyes were on her, and she didn’t even turn red as a Lucian tomato. Her gaze was locked on Gladio and Noct. They both looked equally happy at her arrival.

It was obvious that Gladio was struggling not to engulf the fair haired woman in a hug when she reached them. Noct appeared to be calmer and instead reached out to kiss her hand. That finally seemed to get a reaction out of her, and she started to blush. Luna easily slipped in between her alpha and beta and turned to smile at the guests. 

Ignis grinned at the three of them and turned again to address the crowd. “Thank you all so much again for coming, and I hope you all enjoy the rest of the evening!” 

The music picked up again the second Ignis stopped talking. He must have planned it that way. Any questions people wanted to ask were instantly drowned out by the base.

“He’s coming over to you next,” Nyx offered as Prompto tried to follow where Ignis was going after he turned off the microphone.

“Wha? Doesn’t he have more stuff to do?” Prompto asked.

“Looks like you might be the stuff he’s doing next, blue eyes,” Aranea added with a grin. 

“Oh emm gee.” Prompto couldn’t help but hide his face in his hands. “Don’t tease me like that.” 

“Follow your own advice, Prompto; it worked for me.” Nyx smiled as he gently pushed Prompto out in front of them. “Tell him what you want.” 

Prompto didn’t have time to balk at the comment. Ignis was suddenly in front of him and holding out his hand. Without hesitation, Prompto took it and let Ignis lead them out of the grand hall. 

“If I don’t steal you now, then I’ll get swamped by all the guests asking questions about Noct and his new mates,” Ignis whispered as they walked.

The alpha next to him gracefully shot down any invitation to talk along their way. He never stopped moving and soon enough they were free of the hall and standing in the corridor. “Where are we going?” Prompto asked, confused as Ignis continued on.

“To get some fresh air on the balcony.”

“I thought the main balcony was back inside the hall?”

“It is, but so are all the other guests!” Ignis huffed as he pulled Prompto along to another set of doors. “This room, however, also has a balcony and no guests.”

“Ahhh, I get it. Less questions if there are no guests to ask them, huh?”

“Exactly,” Ignis announced, letting go of Prompto’s hand. He then waltzed over to a large pair of curtains and drew them back to reveal a pair of French doors. Ignis pushed one open to let Prompto out. 

Prompto exclaimed at the sight before him. The balcony had been decorated with string lights and soft music was playing. Running over to investigate further revealed an entire area set up with food and cushions laid out on the floor. “What is all this?” he asked, unable to contain his excitement.

“I wanted to do something special for you. I know this evening is Noct’s party, but I thought I could squeeze in something fun for us as well.”

“This is amazing! When did you have time to do all this?”

“I have my ways, Prompto.” Ignis smiled as he bowed and held out his hand again. “I believe we haven’t had time to dance yet.”

Bouncing again, Prompto took Ignis’ hand. Then a thought came crashing into his mind. “Oh no, uh, I’m not sure we can dance.” Prompto pouted.

“Oh? I didn’t mean to make you feel as though you had to. I’m sorry,” Ignis supplied as he took a step back with a furrowed brow.

“No – uh – that’s not what I meant.” Prompto didn’t release his grip on Ignis’ hand and was trying not to panic. This isn’t what he wanted to have happen. He did want to dance with Ignis, but there was no way it would work. “It’s not you. I just um --” Six, Prompto wished his brain would allow him to tell Ignis what was wrong like a normal person. Nyx’s suggestion to follow his own advice popped into his head suddenly. He could do this. “Um – I only know how to dance lead,” he finally mumbled.

Ignis tilted his head and cast a confused glance towards Prompto. “So the issue, as you have described it, is that you can in fact dance. Is that correct?” Ignis asked, still with a vaguely teasing expression cast across his face. “I’m afraid I’m not following you.”

“I can only dance lead!” Prompto wailed. “There’s no way an alpha like you would want to take the follow position in a dance with an omega.”

“Prompto, who do you think taught Noct to dance?”

The question caused him to stop his fretting for a second. “Uh – a dance instructor?” he wagered.

“Me,” Ignis offered, still holding his hand. “What position do you think Noct learned?”

“Lead?” Prompto weakly uttered. 

“Precisely. Therefore, that must mean I was following and not leading, correct?”

Prompto understood what Ignis was telling him, but he still didn’t believe it. Maybe he would follow with Noct; he was his prince and a beta. He was an omega. That was different. “I’m just an omega. There is no way you’d let me lead.”

“Only one way to find out,” Ignis replied with a small smile. 

The next five songs went by in a blur. Prompto gleefully discovered that Ignis would in fact dance with an omega that could only lead. Ignis gradually steered them over to the area with all the cushions once they started to get breathless. “I can’t believe you let me lead!” Prompto exclaimed as they sat down on the mountain of pillows. 

“I’m happy you know how to dance. I don’t care whether you follow or lead.”

“I usually ended up dancing with my mum at the functions we had to attend in Niflheim. She likes it, so I learned.”

“Your instructor did well.”

“I didn’t have one; I used videos I found on the internet to teach myself.” 

“I quite enjoyed myself. I look forward to being your dance partner at the next party we attend. If you’ll have me, that is,” Ignis supplied with a humble expression.

Prompto couldn’t reply fast enough. “Of course! You’d dance in front of other people with me?” he asked to confirm.

“Silly boy, I’d dance with you anywhere.” 

“Thanks for doing all this. I’m having a really good time.” 

Ignis’ smile grew at the comment. “I’m so happy to hear that. I wasn’t sure what you’d think.”

The response Ignis gave him seemed to be one born of uncertainty. Did Ignis not realize he liked him? Prompto immediately started fretting that Ignis might lose interest if he didn’t tell him how he really felt. “Ignis! Uh – I have to tell you something before it’s too late!”

The advisor stopped smiling and became very still. Blinking slowly, he took a labored breath and licked his lips. “I won’t be mad if you don’t want to continue this. I never wanted to force you into anything.” 

“Shit! NO! I want you to be my alpha!” Prompto blurted in a panic. “Don’t leave me!”

“Thank the six,” Ignis breathed out. The tension in his shoulders was notably less now that he had admitted his feelings. “Prompto, you nearly killed me there.”

“Sorry! I’ve wanted to tell you for weeks, but I didn’t know how.”

“So you’ll be my omega?”

“Hell yes!” Prompto squealed. “But if you felt the same way, then why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t want to influence your decision in any way. I believed if I asked you first you might feel obligated to say yes.”

“Dude!! You mean I could have asked you when you rescued me, and you would have said yes?” 

“I’ve felt a connection to you since the day we met, Prompto Argentum. I could never explain it other than you made me feel whole,” Ignis answered with conviction.

“This is the best day of my life,” Prompto breathed out in a rush. “I finally have an alpha.” 

“Well, then, we are both having the best day of our lives. How apropos.”

Prompto opened his mouth to add more when his stomach gurgled loudly. “Arggg! Why does it do this to me every time?” He could feel his face getting flush. 

“I suppose we should dig into this lovely spread of food. I wouldn’t want my omega to go hungry,” Ignis slyly offered.

Hearing Ignis say those words made Prompto’s heart swell. He never thought anyone would want to be with him. How he’d managed to snag one Ignis Scientia as his alpha was a mystery. The astrals must have a soft spot for depressed omegas. 

“Thank you for doing all this. I really appreciate it.”

“I would do anything for you, You have only to ask.”

“Can you pass the cheese?” Prompto queried as he struggled to keep a straight face. 

Ignis raised an eyebrow as he slowly reached for the plate. “You do know I meant that about anything. Right?”

“Yeah, I do, but like the cheese plate is calling to me.”

The snort Ignis let loose as he handed the plate over set Prompto off into a giggle fit. Prompto still couldn’t believe this was happening. He wasn’t dreaming. Ignis actually wanted to be his alpha. They spent a long time eating and talking about what life would be like together. 

Prompto barely noticed, but Ignis kept getting closer as the night progressed. They’d been on opposite sides of the food spread when they started eating. However, as he now sat stuffed and happy, Ignis was practically touching his shoulder. Deciding to be brave, he leaned into Ignis. Soon Ignis’ arm was snaking its way around his waist and tugging him over. Content to stay like this forever, Prompto let his eyes slip closed. 

Ignis’ hand squeezed his side gently. “Prompto, I have one more thing I wish to gift to you.”

“Wha? You’ve done nothing but give me stuff. I can’t keep accepting everything,” Prompto lamented.

“Let me make you my offer, and then you can decide,” Ignis supplied cryptically.

Before Prompto could question what Ignis meant, the advisor took a breath and proceeded to make him cry. 

“Prompto, I know you desired the title of king so you could do more for the people of Eos. I also know you came here to offer me a job to help you do that.” Ignis held up his hand to stop Prompto from objecting. “Noct confided in me. I hope you won’t be cross with him for sharing. I must admit the idea that you wanted to help others made me so proud of you.” 

“I can still do stuff here, though. I don’t have to have a title, right?” Prompto cut in worriedly. “I mean you and Noct would help me do stuff, if I wanted?”

“Of course we would. I simply feel bad that you staying here with me takes away any chance you have at ever becoming king.”

“You saw how many brothers I have, Ignis. I wasn’t ever going to become king,” Prompto offered sadly. 

“That’s beside the point. I have altered your course in life, so I wish to offer you something to perhaps help.”

Prompto was beyond curious as to what Ignis was talking about. He managed to scoot even closer and took hold of Ignis’ free hand. “As long as you’ll be with me, then I’ll be happy.”

Ignis softly purred once and rested his head on top of Prompto’s. “I promise to never leave you.” Squeezing his hand, he continued. “Not many people know, but I have a title of my own. I’m technically a count. It seems certain perks are awarded to families who serve the crown.”

“Wait, so that means people should be calling you Count Ignis Scientia.” 

“If they should so choose to, they can, but I don’t let many people know about it.”

“Why are you telling me, then?” Prompto asked, still wondering what Ignis’ plan was.

“I can’t help you in your quest to become king anymore, but I can at least offer the title of count to you.”

Ignis didn’t say anything else after that. Peering up at the advisor revealed two intense green eyes staring him down. Shit, Prompto was supposed to have a response to that statement. Rethinking about what he’d just been told, it finally hit him what it meant. “The only way for you to pass that title onto me is for us to become an official registered pack.” 

“Exactly. As I mentioned earlier, it only works if you’ll have me.”

“Wait, oh – wait!” Prompto couldn’t quite figure out how to express himself. “Does that mean we can get married?!” Ignis nodded and held his gaze. Shouting in a fit of joy, Prompto wrapped both his arms around Ignis’ neck and toppled them both over. 

“We don’t have to right away, seeing as we’ve only been together for a month,” Ignis added from underneath Prompto. “I want you to feel comfortable with this.”

“I wanna wear a white suit!” he blurted out, unable to control his excitement.

Ignis laughed at the response and hugged Prompto tightly. “Then I’ll suppose I’ll wear a black one.”

“You have to wear a purple tie, though; it’s your favorite color.”

“I believe I can manage that.”

Suddenly, it dawned on Prompto that he could now do something he’d been dying to try for weeks. Swallowing hard, he lifted his head to look at Ignis better. “Hey um -- do you think we could kiss to celebrate?”

Humming in approval, Ignis slowly removed his glasses and leaned up to better reach Prompto. Overwhelmed at what was going to be his first kiss, Prompto closed his eyes and waited. Ignis’ soft lips were on his a second later. Slender hands began raking through his hair and pulling him closer. Thankfully, Ignis didn’t go fast. The alpha kept the kisses chaste and gentle. 

“Iggy – I --.” Prompto was starting to get light headed. “I feel good, but I feel weird, too,” he offered, unable to truly capture his emotions. Tears started to flow steadily as he struggled to calm down. Feeling Ignis shift beneath him, Prompto grabbed him and held fast. “Don’t let go of me. I’m alright.” 

“Are you sure. Did we go too fast?” Ignis asked, concerned as he hugged the omega.

“No, I’m just really happy, and I can’t explain it.”

“Gods above I think I love you,” Ignis uttered into Prompto’s fluffy hair.

Hiccupping slightly, Prompto smiled despite his tears still flowing. “I love you too.” He sniffled.

“Are you sure you are alright?”

Nodding, Prompto hugged Ignis with all his might, hoping it might convey his feelings. “I am. These are tears of joy, trust me.”

Ignis laughed at the comment and rolled them to the side. “So do you want to move in with me when your mom gets married again?”

Prompto couldn’t help but snap his head up at the statement. “What?! She didn’t tell me anything!”

“Well, Ardyn asked me to be his best man yesterday, so I assumed that meant he was planning on proposing,” Ignis mused as he smiled at his omega. “Though I think we should keep that information to ourselves until he asks your mom.”

“When I move in can we have a cat?”

“I don’t see why not.”

They spent the rest of the evening entangled in each other’s arms discussing cat names and what to wear to his mother’s wedding. 

Prompto couldn’t be happier. He’d managed to escape a miserable life in Niflheim, and now he had the promise of an amazing future with Ignis. 


	13. Epiloque

Ignis hugged Prompto close as they stretched out on the couch. The omega was nearly asleep and mumbled softly at the attention. Six months had passed since they’d moved in together, and Ignis never tired of cuddling with the blond. 

Granted, this situation was slightly unique in that Prompto wasn’t awake and chattering on about his day. He’d been busy all week helping Luna plan a wedding. The two omegas had taken on the task of coordinating Ardyn and Soliamare’s nuptials.

Prompto had gone from avoiding people to having meetings with florists and caterers. Luna usually handled most of the talking, but Ignis had observed Prompto on several occasions attempting to add his opinion. The omega was coming out of his shell, and it was a joy to witness.

However, it appeared the stress of the situation had finally caught up to Prompto. Of course, it wasn’t shocking that he’d run out of energy. Planning a party on that scale was a daunting task. Running his fingers through Prompto’s fluffy blond hair elicited another contented hum from the omega. Ignis was taking advantage of the rare opportunity to watch his mate rest. 

They normally went to bed around the same time. Prompto had adopted Ignis’ schedule within the first week of cohabitation, so he didn’t often get to see the omega dead to the world. Ignis leaned down to tenderly kiss the blond’s head, who sighed contentedly. So much had happened after Noct’s twentieth birthday. Sometimes he would wake up afraid that all of it had been a dream.

Thankfully, it wasn’t.

He’d found his mate, and they were having fun experiencing life together. They’d even rescued a cat from a local shelter to keep them company in their shared apartment. Prompto fit into Ignis’ life like a missing puzzle piece. Aside from a few disagreements over who slept on what side of the bed, things went smoothly. 

Suddenly wondering how Noct handled that same issue, Ignis laughed at the image it provided. He made a mental note to ask Gladio later. His friend enjoyed cuddling on an epic scale, so he was most likely very happy with the new arrangement.

During the same week as Noct’s birthday, a private ceremony had been performed to make the princes’ pack official. They were still learning how to co-exist together just as Ignis and Prompto were. The one difference was that Ignis and Prompto hadn’t been married yet. Ignis insisted they live together first. Noct and Gladio had been slightly shocked by the move but understood the reason. He needed to be absolutely positive Prompto was comfortable. 

Ignis already had an inkling that after Soliamare’s wedding in a few weeks, Prompto would be asking about their own. He’d actually already started planning it and couldn’t wait to show Prompto his progress. Nothing seemed to bring as much joy in life as gifting things to his omega. Prompto would groan and hide his face, but the advisor knew he loved the attention as well.

There was something about gifting your mate things that was very satisfying. Ignis had seen the same behavior with Aranea and Nyx. She was forever leaving him little trinkets in his locker. The alpha had even been allowed to go on a few missions with Nyx. Cor had been happy with her performance and appreciated the extra help. 

Drautos didn’t even have an issue, and he never liked anything new. He’d single-handedly taken care of the investigation regarding Saeva and the attempted murders of King Alban and Prompto. Needless to say, Saeva was never going to see the light of day as a free woman. According to Drautos, she’d changed after her arrest. 

Saeva hadn’t exactly gone insane, but she wasn’t really in her right mind anymore. Ignis figured Ardyn had messed with her sufficiently to do permanent damage. Ardyn would only vaguely allude to what he’d done after he chased her down. It was one story Ignis may never get out of his friend. The thing that mattered most was that she was locked away and unable to hurt anyone anymore. 

King Alban had to contend with his remaining brothers and their betrayal. Otho had been sent away to live in the countryside. Amet, the fool that Nyx had met, was Otho’s friend in exile. It was fitting that they should spend the rest of their days together. Niflheim would survive the scandal and continue on. King Alban now appeared to be trying to follow in his father’s footsteps. It literally took getting stabbed in the back to push the issue.

A soft noise broke Ignis’ train of thought. Peering down, Ignis noted that Prompto was trying to wake up. He began rubbing the omega’s back to help rouse him. 

“Iggy – mmmnn, that feels really good,” Prompto mumbled as he started to purr lightly.

Ignis loved the sound it was so relaxing. He’d wanted to ask Prompto about his day but that meant the purring would stop. Maybe he could hold off for a little while longer. Waiting paid off, and Ignis was able to enjoy another ten minutes of his omega happily purring. Finally taking a deep breath, Ignis spoke up once more. “Did you rest well?” he asked.

“Yeah, I did,” Prompto hummed. “You’re so warm. Can we stay like this forever?” he added.

“I think we might starve to death eventually.” Ignis laughed.

The blond in his arms giggled quietly. “I’m so happy we’re together.” 

“As am I.”

Ignis’ plans for making dinner were put on hold for a little while longer when their cat suddenly showed up. She carefully picked her way along the back of the sofa and plonked down on Prompto’s back. The omega resting on his chest went very still, and Ignis knew what would happen next. 

The purring war lasted for nearly half an hour. The cat eventually got up, stretched, and jumped off to go meow at her food bowl. Prompto then pointed to his mouth and smiled. 

“Guess I need to feed you both before you faint from exhaustion.”

“Thanks Iggy!” Prompto gushed. “I love you so much!”

“I think I love you more.”

They could never reach an agreement on who loved who more. Right after dinner, they went back to cuddling on the couch, and Prompto filled Ignis in on all the details of his day. As he listened, Ignis couldn’t help but smile. He was going to get to spend the rest of his life with Prompto, and it appeared the blond shared the same enthusiasm on the subject. 

**Author's Note:**

> Check me out on tumblr if you want. Just mostly FFXV stuff with some random dribbles. [BGN846 Blog](https://bgn846.tumblr.com/)
> 
> or Twitter [ BGN846 Twitter](https://twitter.com/BGN846?lang=en)
> 
> Please don't copy or plagiarize my work. Thanks!


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